Detroit Jewish Campaign Sets New Policy for Sharing by Agencies

A new policy for a partnership of sharing alike in gains or losses in all Allied Jewish Campaigns by local, national and overseas agencies and beneficiaries, including Israel, was adopted here at an all-day 1959 pre-campaign budget conference. Max Fisher, last year’s campaign chairman, who reported for a steering committee of 22 which outlined the new program, made the following proposals to the conference which adopted them unanimously.

The philosophy for the forthcoming drive is to be based on the 1958 campaign income. All allocations are to be frozen at the same level as in 1958, and a firm partnership is to be established between all local, national and overseas agencies. “If we are truly partners,” Fisher asserted, “then all have to share in losses as well as in gains.” The formula adopted by the conference provides that if more money is raised this year, most of it is to go to the United Jewish Appeal for Israel and overseas relief.

Any sum to be raised in excess of last year’s contributions totalling $4,995,691 is to be divided proportionately, the sum for all causes outside the UJA being set at a maximum of $80,000 out of the first $300,000 to be raised in excess of last year’s gifts. If the increase is to be only $100,000, non-UJA agencies are to receive $20,000 more and the balance to go to the UJA. If the excess over 1958 is to be $200,000, non-UJA agencies will receive $40,000. Sums raised in excess of a $300,000 increase over last year are to go to the UJA.

Mr. Fisher expressed the hope that there will be a larger outpouring of gifts to assure stability for all agencies affiliated with the Allied Jewish Campaign. He expressed the view that the formula adopted by Detroit, for share-alike allocations in losses as well as gains, will serve as a guide for communities throughout the country. The recommendations of the budget conference now go to the Jewish Welfare Federation’s executive committee and board of governors for final approval.

Irwin I. Cohn was introduced at the budget conference as the chairman of the 1959 Allied Jewish Campaign. Leonard N. Simons is to be the associate chairman. In the concluding address at the conference, Mr. Cohn made a strong plea for the raising of standards of giving. Drawing some comparisons, he pointed out that there are 700 members in Detroit’s three country clubs, the value of each membership being at least $5,000. “But there are only 175 people who give $5,000 or more to the drive,” he declared. Reminding the gathering that there are 50 beneficiaries in the drive and 26,000 contributors, he showed that the average gift to Israel is only $81 per capita and to local agencies only $49 per capita. “This,” he said, “is a bad inventory. This year we must do a lot better job than in the past.”