Jewish Communities Urged to Raise $35, 000, 000 in Cash for U. J. A. Needs

An urgent call to communities across the United States to go into high gear to collect an additional $35, 000, 000 in cash on 1959 pledges to the United Jewish Appeal was made today by UJA National Cash chairman, Melvin Dubinsky, of St. Louis, Mo. The start of the nationwide fall cash campaign was announced last week by Mr. Dubinsky and Morris W. Berinstein, UJA general chairman.

“While we know we will raise $35, 000, 000 in cash by the year’s end, in time for the annual national UJA conference in New York, ” Mr. Dubinsky said, “the need is great for ready-cash. We urge communities to help us to raise at least one-half of the total amount by November 2 for presentation to the Jewish Agency in Jerusalem by the UJA Study Mission when it arrives in Israel.”

Pointing out that the worldwide human programs of the United Jewish Appeal must be maintained if the 600, 000 men, women and children who depend on the help provided by the UJA’s beneficiary agencies are to survive, Mr. Dubinsky asked local communities to organize their cash collection efforts as quickly as possible.

“In Israel the problems of absorption are pressing. Adequate, decent housing is required for 85,000 people, the full equipping of rural agricultural settlements must be completed to make them productive, and job opportunities, vocational training and health and welfare programs must be provided for in order to speed the process of changing Israel’s immigrants into independent self-sufficient citizens, ” Mr. Dubinsky said.

“We must turn every possible pledge into cash, ” he continued. “To do this each local community should select its Community Cash chairman and begin to enlist every possible volunteer in the cash drive. Thousands of volunteers will be required to turn promises into dollars immediately. ” Mr. Dubinsky noted that UJA aid programs overseas face a serious hindrance to their activities because of lack of funds, and he declared that “cash alone can keep these life-saving and life building programs going.”