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Danger for Jewish Community Services Seen if Public Aid is Cut

May 19, 1954
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The disappearance or substantial reduction of public funds “might spell disaster” for Jewish community services, Dr. Maurice Taylor, executive director of the Pittsburgh Federation of Jewish Philanthropies, declared here at a session of the 56th annual meeting of the National Conference of Jewish Communal Service.

“I am impressed with our growing dependence on public funds for the maintenance and growth of our sectarian program,” Mr. Taylor said. “The proportions of our budgets thus supplied may not be great, except in certain instances, but the number of dollars is large and increasing.”

He maintained that “any shift in the political climate which would alter the present social welfare program would be serious, ” since, as he stated, “public welfare has contributed to raising the professional level of Jewish social work.”

The importance of voluntary cooperation with government agencies on immigration matters was stressed at today’s session by Harry Rosenfield, former DP Commissioner and executive director of President Truman’s Commission on Immigration and Naturalization. He also urged voluntary agencies to maintain “a constant alert to make justified criticism of official dereliction, inefficiency or ineffectiveness, through the moral weight of informed advice and wise proposals for improvements and for new programs and services. “

Jack R. Goldberg, executive director of Camp Wel-Met, New York, was elected president of the National Association of Jewish Center Workers, an associate group of the National Conference of Jewish Communal Service.

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