Metropolitan Chicago Jewish Federation Contributes $25,000 to Assist Efforts to Aid Victims of Famin

The Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago made a $25,000 contribution last week to assist in the world-wide efforts to aid the victims of the famine in Ethiopia.

This $25,000, along with any contributions for Ethiopian relief which individual members of the Chicago Jewish community or others may send to the Federation, will be sent to Ethiopia through the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee.

As in similar past crises — in Cambodia in 1980; in Italy in 1981 and in Lebanon in 1982 — the JDC relief efforts will be coordinated with those of the Catholic, Protestant and nonsectarian agencies providing humanitarian assistance for the victims of the famine in Ethiopia.

During the past year, JDC has been working in Ethiopia to help develop health services in the Gondar province. Now, the government of Ethiopia has asked JDC and other voluntary agencies for help in the famine relief effort and the Jewish community in Chicago and other American communities are urgently seeking the most effective way to respond to this human crisis.

EXPRESSION OF TZEDAKAH

Chicago Jewish Federation President Charles Goodman declared that “the $25,000 which our Federation has voted to send to Ethiopia is one more expression of our commitment to the Jewish tradition of helping all who are in need without regard to religion, race, or nationality. In the Jewish Tradition, there is no word for charity. The Hebrew word is Tzedakah — which translates as righteousness and justice.

“We think it only right and just that those who have food be as generous as possible in saving victims of the famine which now is rampant throughout Africa and is particularly acute in Ethiopia. We ask that members of the Chicago community who wish to send individual contributions to this most important cause make out their checks to the Joint Distribution Committee and send them to the Jewish Federation of Metropolitian Chicago, One South Franklin Street, Chicago, Illinois 60606, Room 721.”

Since last February, the National Jewish Community Relations Advisory Council has stressed the need for greater U.S. help for Ethiopia and other drought-stricken African countries. The NJCRAC engaged in advocacy efforts on behalf of the $150 million African Emergency Food Aid Bill which has since passed the Congress.

In January, 1985, more legislation will be introduced relating to famine relief. However, it is the feeling of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Chicago and other Jewish communities throughout the country that, along with supporting U.S. government help for famine victims. Jewish communities and individuals must offer compassionate help of the kind which the Chicago Federation voted last week.