Conference of Jewish Federation Leaders Reaffirms Allocation Rights of Communities

A resolution reaffirming the basic “right and responsibility” of local Jewish communities to allocate monies raised in their campaigns, while recognizing their obligations for meeting all philanthropic needs, including the United Jewish Appeal, was passed by 150 delegates to the 14th Annual Conference of the New York-Ontario Region of the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds which concluded here last night. Maurice S. Tabor, of Buffalo, was reelected regional president.

Other resolutions dealt with problems of national agency-local community relationships, the need for aiding refugees coming to the U.S., and the need for “full and incisive” budgetary reports on agencies supported by Jewish communities. The resolution on local community prerogatives reiterated that the rights of communities in determining their campaign goals and allocations to agencies constituted “principles and practices” which are “inherent in the development of local community organizations.”

At the same time, the resolution, noting that American Jewish communities have “consistently mobilized their fullest energies and resources to meet the problems of the Jews of Europe and Israel, recommended that the communities in the Region continue to confer with the U.J.A. as to its fund requirements.” Another resolution took note of the U.J.A. ‘s need for immediate cash funds to aid in the transportation and resettlement of DF’s in Israel and urged communities to make available the “maximum amount of cash.”

Assorting that the continuing local, overseas and Israel responsibilities of American Jewry can best be met in 1950 by central community planning and financing, Julian Freeman, of Indianapolis, told the delegates that “communal responsibility has superseded group or individual philanthropy” as the means for meeting Jewish needs. He called for a “full working partnership” between national and overseas agencies and organized Jewish communities.

Isidore Sobeloff, of Detroit, said the “real value” of community services “must be measured by its social service to the Jewish group and to the general community.” Stressing the importance of local central community planning in meeting Jewish problems, he declared that the voluntary, democratic association of communities on a national level is a logical extension of that principle. As regards local planning for 1950, Mr. Sobeloff declared that both in interest and structure, community organizations “cannot place local, national, and overseas problems into three separate compartments.”

DELEGATES WANT “MORE INCISIVE” REPORTS ON NEEDS OF AGENCIES RECEIVING AID

A resolution on aid to refugees cited the increasing number of DP’s coming to the United States and urged communities to accept their proportionate number and provide them with the services necessary for speedy adjustment and self-support.

The delegates also urged the C.J.F.W.F. to furnish “fuller and more incisive” reports on the needs, expenditures and services of agencies receiving community support, as a means of aiding local communities to make “wise and proper distribution of funds.” In another resolution, the delegates urged community boards of directors to Council.

Outlining the services of the C.J.F.W.F. to 269 central agencies serving 800 communities, Philip Bernstein, associate director of the C.J.F.W.F., told the delegates that the Council, as the national instrument of the communities, was working toward resolving problems of national-local relationships, and eliminating overlapping and duplication of service programs. He cited the work of the C.J.F.W.F. ‘s Institute on Overseas Studies as an example where objective, impartial analyses and recommendations had aided substantially in caving “millions of dollars” for the American Jewish communities.