The Joint Distribution Committee and the American Palestine Campaign, which have for the past two years conducted joint drives as United Jewish Appeal, for settlement of Jews of Germany and other lands in Palestine, will conduct independent fund-raising campaigns for these purposes in 1936, it was announced today following a meeting of the Executive Committee of the United Jewish Appeal.
This action was based on the conclusion that “the sums raised have not shown an increase commensurate with the great need, nor did they measure up to what was expected of American Jewry.”
Discussing the plan of individual campaigns the statement issued by the officers of the United Jewish Appeal said:
“One of the advantages of separate campaigns was that both the Joint Distribution Committee and the American Palestine Campaign would be free to intensify their special appeals and would enlist in their particular efforts additional supporters for their respective programs in the field of European aid and reconstruction and of Palestine upbuilding,”
The statement declared that the joint campaign of the past two years had developed “a larger spirit of cooperation between the partners in the campaign,” producing a keener sense of “solidarity and responsibility” in local communities.
To date seven hundred communities have already contributed $1,600,000 toward this year’s objective. At present 149 communities are still to complete their campaigns during the remainder of the year.
The statement of the Executive Committee pointed out that “the results achieved by the United Jewish Appeal in both 1934 and 1935, tangible and intangible, could be regarded as satisfactory; but the general conclusion was reached that the sums raised have not shown an increase commensurate with the great need.
“It was confidently felt that friendly relations would be continued and that the good-will developed between the leaders of the Joint Distribution Committee and the leaders of the American Palestine Campaign, as well as of their followers throughout the country, would find expression in forms of practical cooperation in the 1936 campaign.”
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