Council for Judaism Advises Members to Contribute to 5 Relief Groups; Omits J.D.C.

The American Council for Judaism today advised ## members to contribute to organizations “devoted solely to relief,” but the Joint contribution Committee was omitted from the list of organizations approved by the council.

Referring to a resolution adopted at the recent annual conference of the Council, held in St. Louis, which instructed its officers “to find ways in which contribution may be made solely for humanitarian purposes,” the Council informed its members that in the judgment of the executive committee, only five organizations meet the requirements of the St. Louis resolution. They are: The Refugee Assistance Fund; the ?AS; the American Friends Service Committee; American Overseas Aid and the United Nations Appeal for Children.

The St. Louis resolution called upon all Americans of Jewish faith for general ## support of the relief, resettlement and general humanitarian needs of distressed sub-religionists and others. It instructed the president and the executive committee ## negotiate with relief agencies, and in particular, with the Joint Distribution Committee, for the establishment of procedures or a separate fund that will make possible the widest support of those in distress without any moral constraint due to what has described as “the present commingling of funds for humanitarian purposes with ?hose that are expended for political and foreign governmental purposes in the United Jewish Appeal.”

Lessing J. Rosenwald, president of the Council, today informed the members that a special committee of the Council conferred with officials of the Joint Distribution Committee but “was unable to effect an arrangement in accord with the spirit of the St. Louis resolution.” In explaining the reason, Rosenwald stated that “quite apart from the merits of our contention, the contracts existing between the J.D.C. and the U.P.A. and contracts between the J.D.C. and the various local welfare funds, make it impossible for the J.D.C. to accede to our request.”

Rosenwald advised the members that the executive committee decided that the Council itself should become a collector of relief funds “only as a last resort” and embarked upon an investigation to find other organizations that would qualify. The result was that five organizations were listed. Members were advised that contributions should be sent direct to the organizations. At the same time, Rosenwald emphasized that “the American Council for Judaism recognizes that the choice of organizations to which contributions are made is one reserved for each individual. He said that “the Council as an organization takes no position for or against giving to the United Jewish Appeal.”