79 Jewish Communities Report Raising $52, 000, 000 in Spring Campaigns

The Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds today reported that most Jewish community fund-raising drives are in their final stages and many have already been completed. As of June 19, the 79 communities reporting campaign results to the Council had raised $52, 049, 848 for overseas, national and local needs. This is 14.1 percent higher than the comparable results on the same cards last year.

Among 16 large cities there was an average increase of 12. 7 percent. Eleven of them have already exceeded their 1958 totals, five of the campaigns are still continuing. The cities that have completed their campaigns and their increases over 1958 final totals are: Boston, 7.9 percent; Cleveland, 6.7 percent; Kansas City, 7.4 percent; Newark, 10.3 percent; Pittsburgh, 4.6 percent; and Toronto, 36. 2 percent. The five cities which have exceeded their 1958 totals but are still campaigning are Cincinnati, Denver, Miami, Philadelphia and San Francisco.

Thirty-eight intermediate cities, of 5, 000-15, 000 Jewish population, reported an average increase of 17.1 percent over 1958 for the same cards. The four communities reporting final results showed these increases; Dallas, 17.1 percent; Richmond, 14.9 percent; Scranton, 11. 8 percent; and Tucson, 12. 7 percent. In addition, another 19 cities have exceeded their 1958 totals although their campaigns are still going on.

The 25 small cities reporting to the CJFWF, whose campaigns are not as far along as those of the larger communities, reported an average increase on the same cards of 18. 2 percent. Fifteen of these have exceeded their 1958 totals with the campaigns still going on.

INCREASES IN LARGE CITIES CAME MAIRLLY FROM MIDDLE BRACKETS

Community and CJFWF leaders ascribe the favorable results to improved economic conditions, a deep conviction regarding pressing needs, the special emigration to Israel early in the year, vigorous leadership, careful rating of contributors, more attention paid to the middle gift brackets, greater personalization of the campaign, more individualized and persistent solicitation and more thorough organization.

Increases in the large cities came mainly from the middle brackets. In the 15, 000 to 40, 000 population group the increases came mainly from the big givers, although some communities reported greater percentage gains from smaller divisions. The same was generally the case in the smaller communities.

Campaigns were conducted faster this year and cuts were generally small and scattered, although some communities did suffer some severe cuts. The change in the volume of immigration to Israel did not materially affect the campaigns. The reason advanced for this were: 1. Some campaigns had already completed the bulk of their solicitation, particularly the big gifts; 2. Many shifted the emphasis of their campaigns to the need for caring for immigrants who had just come to Israel; 3. There was an underlying conviction regarding the urgency of total need–local, national, and the unmet backlog in Israel.