Leaders of 30 Largest Jewish Communities in U.S. to Discuss 1950 Responsibilities

Presidents and executives of America’s 30 largest Jewish communities, seeking to map constructive plans for meeting American Jewry’s total responsibilities in 1950, will join with a panel of experts in appraising and clarifying the basic relationship of Jewish needs at a special conference this weekend at the Stevens Hotel in Chicago.

The conference has been called by the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds and will be a “working session” with full discussion of major problems by all community representatives. The parley will hear a report from Harold Glasser, director of the C.J.F.W.F. Institute on Overseas Studies. Mr. Glasser, who has just returned from a six-week study trip to Israel, will present his findings at the opening session on trends in Israel’s economy, the role of official and private agencies and prospects for immigration in 1950.

At another session, on “Community Planning for 1950,” the conference participants will analyze the implications of overseas and domestic needs for 1950 community campaigns. In a round table discussion they will appraise fund raising assets and liabilities in 1950 compared with 1949 experience, goals, campaign climate, collections, leadership handling of local capital needs and problems of independent competing drives. They will also explore relationships between communities and national and overseas agencies, and effect of needs and campaign methods on budget procedures. Conclusions and recommendations growing out of the discussions will be made at the third, and closing, session.

Berl Locker, chairman of the Jewish Agency in Jerusalem, will serve as a consultant to the community leaders on questions regarding Israel. Moses Beckelman, assistant European director of the Joint Distribution Committee, will serve as consultant on the J.D.C. program.

Communities invited to the conference are: Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Hartford, Jersey City, Kansas City, Los Angeles, Miami, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Montreal, New Haven, Newark, New York, Paterson, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Rochester, St. Louis, St. Paul, San Francisco, Toronto and Winnipeg.