Resolutions urging the creation of a central Israel fund in the United States “to insure maximum benefit” from philanthropic contributions through local Jewish welfare funds were passed this week by two more regional conferences of the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds. One conference was held in Pittsburgh and the other in Philadelphia.
This makes a total of six C.J.F.W.F. Regions–comprising 163 Jewish communities–which have voted similar action at their annual conferences held during the past month. These regional actions support the position taken by the last national General Assembly of community organizations and by many cities individually.
More than 300 delegates participated in the meetings of the C.J.F.W.F. East Central Region in Pittsburgh and of the Central Atlantic Region in Philadelphia. The representatives discussed major problems facing American Jewish communities in planning to meet their total 1951 responsibilities–overseas, national and local. Both conferences emphasized the need for welfare funds to provide maximum contributed funds to Israel–through a strengthened United Jewish Appeal campaigning within the welfare funds–and for all other valid Jewish local, national and overseas causes.
Delegates also considered other forms of aid to Israel in carrying through its three-year program of absorption of hundreds of thousands of immigrants and the attainment of economic self-sufficiency. These forms include loans, private investment and intergovernmental loans. The East Central Conference passed a resolution declaring that funds secured through loans and private investment should be “in addition to and not a substitute for,” maximum dollars contributed through welfare funds.
DISTINCTION BETWEEN PHILANTHROPIC AND INVESTMENT CAMPAIGN FOR ISRAEL SOUGHT
The Central Atlantic meeting urged the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds to initiate discussions with the United Jewish Appeal and other organizations which may undertake philanthropic or investment campaigns for Israel to evolve a clear-out distinction between programs supported by philanthropic and investment funds. As part of this resolution, the delegates called for the establishment of a firm cooperative agreement on timing, national publicity and themes for the campaigns.
Stanley Kann, Pittsburgh, was elected president of the East Central Region, replacing Julian Freeman, Indianapolis. Moritz Gottlieb, Allentown, was named president of the Central Atlantic Region, succeeding Herbert R. Abeles, Newark. Major speakers at the East Central Conference were Stanley C. Myers, national president of the C.J.F.W.F.; Mr. Freeman; Isidore Sobeloff, executive director of the Detroit Jewish Welfare Foundation; and Philip Bernstein, associate director of the C.J.F.W.F. At the Central Atlantic meeting, featured addresses were made by Mr. Abeles; Harold Glasser, director of the C.J.F.W.F. Institute on Overseas Studies; Sidney Goldmann, past president of the Trenton Jewish Federation; Ephraim Gomberg, executive director of the Philadelphia Allied Jewish Appeal; and Morris Zelditch, director of social planning for the C.J.F.W.F.
The two conferences passed other resolutions citing the “serious need of cash” of agencies carrying on important work in Israel, overseas and at home, and urged communities to make the maximum amount of cash available as soon as possible.
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