Jewish Communities Report Substantial Increase in 1959 Fund-raising

Increases averaging between 20 and 30 percent over last year’s gifts have been recorded by many Jewish community campaigns as 1959 drives gather momentum, according to Herbert R. Abeles, president of the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds. The combined campaigns supply the funds required by the major overseas, national and local Jewish organizations, with the United Jewish Appeal as the largest beneficiary.

At latest report, the communities with campaigns far enough along to be indicative, showed the following increases: Toronto, 55 percent; Detroit, 38 percent; Los Angeles. 33 percent; Miami, 29 percent; Pittsburgh, 20 percent; Dallas, 23 percent; Sen Diego, 66 percent; Bridgeport, 25 percent; Camden, 40 percent; Columbus, 27.5 percent, Winnipeg, 24 percent.

Indicating that in many communities early advance in percentage gains are holding up well into the middle of the drives, and in some cases are actually being increased, Mr. Abeles said that “the American Jewish community is responding extremely well to the tremendous and urgent needs of 1959–local, national and overseas.”

In a report to the Council’s board of directors, Louis J. Fox of Baltimore, chairman of the Campaign Services Committee, attributed the strong showing to generally improved economic conditions; deep feelings regarding the critical needs locally, nationally and overseas, the tremendous backlog of unmet needs arising from previous immigration to Israel, and the special problems created by the spurt in immigration this year.

In addition, he credited the communities with a general tightening up of the organization and structure of the campaign. This included; vigorous leadership setting an example by greater giving and working, intensive solicitation and careful rating of prospects, careful selection and training of solicitors, wider use of small parlor meetings to personalize the campaigns, use of local speakers, especially those who took part in missions to Israel, maturing of young and vigorous leadership, and more thorough organization.