More than $17,000,000 has been pledged so far by 40 Jewish communities toward the United Jewish Appeal Special Fund drive for $25,000,000 to finance the emigration to Israel of 45,000 Jews form North Africa, it was reported here today by Joseph Mazer, national chairman of the UJA Special Fund campaign, which was launched about a month ago.
“The response to the UJA Speical Fund drive,” Mr. Mazer told a press conference is a heartening demonstration of the understanding, as well as the generosity, of the Jews of America. They have been stirred by the expressed determination of Israel’s people to keep their doors open to all Jews seeking a democratic haven, ” Included in the cures and areas which have accepted quotas for the Special Fund drive are New York, $7,000,000 Chicago, $1,575,000; Philadelphia, $1,162,500; Los Angeles, $1,410,000 and Detroit $1,230,000.
Mr. Mazer also expressed his gratification at the understanding and acceptance on the part of American Jewry of the extraordinary nature of the $25,000,000 UJA Special Fund This fund, he pointed out, will be used exclusively to meet immigration and initial settlement costs in Israel for 45,000 North African Jews with the most impelling need for resettlement. The $25,000,000 fund will be over and above the monies to be raised in the regular UJA 1956 nationwide campaign.
The initial speedy response to the Special Fund drive, Mr. Mazer said, can be credited in great part to the outstanding group of Jewish communal leaders who have accepted posts on the Special Fund Committee and to the UJA national leaders who have joined me on a series of whirlwind tours of key cities to help mobilize community efforts for the special drive, ” Among the leaders who already have taken part in flying visits to key communities, Mr. Mazer said, are William Rosenwald, UJA general chairman Edward M. M. Warburg, UJA president; Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman, UJA executive vice-chairman; Samuel H. Daroff, chairman of the UJA National Campaign Cabinet; Jack D. Weiler and Dewey D. Stone, both national chairmen.
Mr. Mazer’s report came on the eve of the Appeal’s two-day annual national conference opening at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel Friday. The conference will set in motion the regular 1956 campaign in behalf of the UJA constituent agencies–United Israel Appeal, Joint Distribution Committee and New York Association for New Americans.
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