Conference of Leaders of Largest Jewish Communities to Formulate 1949 Communal Plans

A special conference of the 30 largest Jewish communities in the United States and Canada, “to analyze American Jewry’s 1949 responsibilities and European needs,” has been called by the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds for October 23 and 24 in Pittsburgh, Stanley C. Myers, CJEWF president, announced today.

Representatives of the communities, whose 1948 combined welfare fund goals for operating purposes exceeded $152,000,000, will engage in a “down-to-earth working session,” Myers declared. Basic planning will grow out of an exchange of community experience in meeting local operating and capital funds need which are now at a total of $160,000,000 and still growing, and discussions of new developments on the overseas scene.

Conference participants will be presidents or other designated lay leaders, and executives of federations, welfare funds or community councils of the 30 cities, community representatives on the United Jewish Appeal’s executive committee, the CJFWF board of directors, and officials of major overseas agencies.

Announcing the meeting, Myers emphasized the “changes in the current situation” which call for “utmost statesmanship in mapping a course of action” for American Jewish communities in 1949. “The participating communities will assess their responsibilities in the light of their increasingly urgent local capital funds requirements, and a factual appraisal of the Israel and overseas picture,” he declared.

Reflecting the growing concern of local communities with home-front problems, the conference will probe local capital funds and operating needs for 1949. Communities will assess the urgency of capital projects, and outline their plans for furthering them in 1949.

WILL DISCUSS PARTICIPATION IN UNITED JEWISH APPEAL ADMINISTRATION

Among the major aspects of Jewish communal life to be discussed at the conference will be the role of the communities in the 1949 United Jewish Appeal. Delegates will discuss community participation in the U.J.A. goal-setting process and year-round administration.

Seeking an answer to the question of the extent of American Jewry’s responsibilities toward Israel in 1949, conference participants will discuss basic prospects and plans for Israel, the responsibilities to be carried by the Israeli Government, legitimate responsibilities of private philanthropy, prospects for Israeli government taxation, internal loans, bond issues, loans from governments and intergovernmental adios, and the outlook for private business investment.

Discussion and planning for European needs will take into account the effect of large-scale immigration of DP’s to Israel and other countries on expenditures for maintaining DP’s in Europe, the possibilities for closing European DP camps in 1949, determination of continuing needs of Jews in Western Europe in the light of the Marshall Plan and other projects, needs of Jews in Eastern Europe, and the extent to which basic rehabilitation and preparation for emigration is replacing emergency relief.