Jewish needs, arising from the social welfare crisis of the 1970s in America and overseas, will be discussed by 1500 Jewish leaders from communities throughout the United States and Canada at the 39th General Assembly of the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds in Kansas City. Mo., Nov. 11-15. According to CJFWF president Max M. Fisher, the five-day assembly will bring together representatives of 225 Jewish federations and welfare funds in over 800 communities. They will determine priorities in the allocation of funds raised by Federation campaigns in 1971 between domestic needs and the needs of Jews in Israel and other countries overseas. In 1968, the last year for which complete statistics are available, Federation campaigns raised $153 million of which 56 percent was allocated to overseas needs, primarily Israel, four percent to national agencies and 40 percent to local community services, according to a CJFWF spokesman. An additional $83 million was raised exclusively for Israel by the Israel Emergency Fund, a separate campaign. The same pattern of allocations is expected to continue, the spokesman added.
Mr. Fisher indicated that a primary area of concern was the “mounting social, educational, health and social welfare problems in Israel. He noted that the CJFWF board of directors, at its recent quarterly meeting here, endorsed a resolution recognizing the need to double support for humanitarian projects in Israel and mounting needs at home. Mr. Fisher said that workshops and discussion groups at the General Assembly would be devoted to Federation endowment fund programs, the impact of current tax legislation on philanthropic giving and the priorities of Jewish education. The delegates will also take up urban and inner city problems including drug abuse and the programs that can be offered by Jewish hospitals. Other subjects include the development of young leadership. Jewish family and child service agencies, women in communal service. Jewish cultural development and health planning.
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