Intensification of Distress Among Jewish Groups in America Says Conference of Jewish Philanthropic O

Jewish Philanthropic Federations in the United States and their constituent social agencies are greatly concerned with the results of the adverse economic conditions now obtaining in the United States, says a statement which has been issued following a special urgent Conference which has just been held of the Executives of the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies in various parts of the country whose constituent agencies have a combined annual budget of 30 million dollars, with a view to considering measures to save Jewish social work during the economic depression.

There has been an intensification and increase of the problems of distress and mal-adjustment among the Jewish group, the statement says. Economic dislocation widely distributed has resulted in decreasing the area of dependency. It has also affected to some extent the continued support of established programmes of social service and has increased the difficulty of finding appropriate support for the added problems created by continued unemployment. The effect of the depression upon Jewish social work has been felt gradually. Increasing unemployment and reduction or stoppage of income for many families has slowly exhausted the self-maintaining resources of ever-widening groups of the population. With the continuance of the depression there is evident a greatly enlarging area of need confronting the established social agencies. The financing of social work during 1930, being based upon the fund-raising capacity of the Community for the previous year, has not presented the acute difficulties to the Community which may be anticipated with the enlargement of the problem of need which will intensify the difficulties of raising the necessary funds. Even if there is an improvement in business conditions, the social agencies must still expect to deal with many adverse factors which did not previously exist. The demoralising effects of unemployment continued for a long period, with its sequel of broken health, broken homes and disintegrated family lives will continue long after the worst phases of the present business depression are over.

In the absence of industrial and governmental provision for the prevention of unemployment or for dealing with the destitution which it creates, the statement goes on, the relief of poverty and distress is an insistent obligation of organised Jewish social work. The Jewish group must participate in the general community measures and affiliate themselves actively with the other bodies in the community concerned with the present situation. The present situation cannot be called a temporary depression, but a major economic reaction and federations and constituent agencies are therefore justified at this time in using for emergency purposes whatever reserve funds have been accumulated. It is recommended that unrestricted legacies or bequests be made available for the emergency. Federations which are not already heavily burdened with deficits are also justified in borrowing to meet the emergency funds.