Primarily through the efforts of Harry Lebau, executive director of the Local Y.M.-Y.W.H.A., a Community Chest, which has been talked of here for a number of years, has now become a reality. An organization committee, with Mr. Lebau acting as secretary, has completed its work and a decision was reached today to have the first Chest campaign early in November for an estimated quota of $175,000. What the budgetary requirements will be for the Jewish charity and welfare organizations is now being determined by the latter group, who have already pledged their support to the Chest.
Four prominent Jews: Dr. Emil Stein, Samuel Koestler, Henry Piper and Nathan R. Leavitt, are among the citizens already named to the Chest board of trustees. Mr. Lebau, who has been at the helm of “Y” activities for the past several years, was formerly identified with the field staff of the Joint Distribution Commitee. night with a dinner meeting attended by prominent citizens of the community.
The principal speakers were Judge Henry S. Waldman, chairman of the drive; Rabbi R. H. Melamed, spiritual leader of the congregation; Rev. Dr. Louis Finkelstein, of the faculty of the Jewish Theological Seminary; Rabbi Samuel M. D. Klein, of Philadelphia and Rabbi Samuel M. Cohen, executive director of the United Synagogue of America.
The campaign workers will not solicit funds, but will endeavor to interest the Jews of the community in becoming members of the congregation, in attending High Holydays services, and in sending their children to the religious school of the temple.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.