More than 1, 000, 000 Jews have given $1, 780, 000, 000 to Jewish federations and welfare funds during the 13-year postwar period from 1946 through 1958, it was revealed today by the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds in a report outlining the broad scope and function of American Jewish philanthropy. The study summarizes major developments in Jewish communal services, analyzes the programs of all major overseas, national, and local Jewish agencies, and records the financial resources available for maintaining these programs. It was prepared by S. P. Goldberg, director of the Council’s Budget Research Department.
The report indicates that about $120, 000, 000 was raised by central Jewish community organizations in 1958. This represented a 10 per cent decline from 1957, after a rise of 33 per cent over 1955. In analyzing allocations of welfare fund money budgeted for UJA, the survey reports a marked shift in fund distribution. This occurred as a result of the “special” allocations, with the total UJA share of net funds rising from 58 per cent in 1955 to 65 per cent in 1957. This was the highest UJA share in recent years. With the decline in total income in 1958, the survey indicated a drop in the UJA share of 1958 funds.
In 1957, the UJA received nearly $76, 000, 000 of all money budgeted by welfare funds for all Jewish philanthropies. This income was derived from the combined “Regular” and “Special Survival Fund” campaign. Other overseas agencies and local refugee care received more than $4, 300, 000, while national domestic agencies were given slightly less than $4, 700, 000 during the year.
Grants to national agencies by federations and welfare funds reached an estimated $4, 685, 000. Of this sum more than half, $2, 654, 000, went to the community relations agencies. Other allocations were: health and welfare, $93, 000; cultural agencies, $392, 000; religious agencies, $378, 000; and service agencies, $1, 168, 000.
The survey also reports that in the same year some 70 Jewish agencies raised more than $46, 500, 000 in independent campaigns, notably in New York City. The largest portion of this money was contributed to national community relations, health and welfare, cultural and religious organizations. Less than 40 per cent was utilized for overseas and Israel aid. An additional sum of nearly $5, 000, 000 was contributed in 1957 to restricted independent campaigns for local agencies, generally by agreement with individual federations.
The survey also summarizes various types of aid to Israel, analyzes the work and financial relationship of key Israel and overseas agencies supported by welfare funds, as well as the programs and sources of revenue for national agencies and local services. It notes four fundamental sources of currency supplementing Israel’s own earnings at abroad. These include United States Governmental assistance, and German reparations, as well as Israel Bond sales and philanthropic funds.
American sources, the report points out, provided about $160, 000, 000 — or almost 30 per cent of Israel’s total foreign currency income — for the fiscal year ending March 31, 1958. Together with German reparation income, these sources provided 46 per cent of the country’s total foreign currency. Philanthropic funds continued as an important source of income for Israel, with almost one billion dollars remitted by Jewish organizations during a 12-year period. In 1957, American Jewish philanthropic agencies had an income of $97, 000, 000 for overseas purposes, including $80, 000, 000 for use in Israel. Israel Bond sales also provided a total of $366, 500, 000 from 1952 to the present.
$33, 300, 000 PROVIDED BY FEDERATIONS FOR LOCAL SERVICES IN 1957
Jewish federations and welfare funds provided some $33. 3 million for local services in 1957 ($31. 8 million in 1956). Fields of service included health, family and child care, refugee aid, Jewish centers, Jewish education, care of the aged, vocational services and community relations. In addition to federation allocations, non-sectarian community chests contributed an estimated $14. 1 million additional.
About one third of the total fund for local services went to 48 of the 69 hospitals under local Jewish auspices, $10. 7 million. Hospital receipts rose by 3 per cent in 1957, most of this from third party payments (health insurance, Blue Cross, hospitalization). Payment for service increased from $85. 4 million in 1956 to $93. 8 million in 1957.
Allocations to family and child care agencies rose 7 per cent in 1957. This reflected increased costs rather than increased caseloads. Combined federation and Chest allocations for family and child care services in 86 communities in 1957 amounted to $6. 3 million. Costs for refugee programs continued to decline despite a brief upturn early in 1957 due to a spurt of immigration from Hungary. Allocations for 1957 came to slightly less than $1. 1 million outside of New York City.
Federation and Chest grants to community centers increased by 4. 5 per cent in 1957. Center fees accounted for 56 per cent of total community center income in 1956. There were 75 homes for the aged caring for 14, 075 residents in 1957, a gain of 689 over the previous year. Allocations for aged care in 1957 amounted to $2. 1 million in 86 cities exclusive of New York City.
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