The American Joint Distribution Committee adopted a $64.5 million budget for 1980 at its 65th annual meeting here today.
Donald Robinson, who was re-elected for a third year term as president, told the more than 100 Board of Directors members who came from all over the United States and Canada that the largest single item in the budget is the expenditure for care and maintenance of Soviet emigrants which has increased from $3.7 million in 1975 to $23.8 million in 1979. “Fortunately we receive about 93 percent reimbursement of these expenditures from the U.S. Refugee Program,” Robinson said.
Pointing to problems of inflation, Robinson noted that the 100 percent inflation rate in Israel could rise to 150 percent next year and this could do serious damage to the effectiveness of more than 100 programs in Israel supported by JDC. “If the JDC is to work out a balanced budget for 1980,” he said, “it must operate within its income from the United Jewish Appeal and other sources.”
The meeting, which was opened by Jack Weiler, past president of JDC who was re-elected chairman of the Board of Directors, featured an address by Isaac Boshevis Singer, 1978 Laureate in Literature. Singer, who immigrated from the Soviet Union to the United States in the 1930s, described the rescue efforts of the JDC as “the miracle of the 20th Century.” He credited “The Joint” with rescuing millions including thousands of talented Jewish-Yiddish artists active in the theater, music, literature and the arts–some of whom achieved international acclaim.
He told the story of JDC bringing aid to his town after World War I. “We were hungry and cold,” he said. “I remember getting a blanket from ‘The Joint’ and it kept me warm a long time.”
AUGMENTED COMMITMENT TO JEWISH EDUCATION
In a report on the world operations of JDC, Ralph Goldman, who was re-elected executive vice president, called attention to the JDC commitment to education. “The year 1979 marked the beginning of our study of the JDC role in Jewish education, as well as an increase in our Yiddishkeit program for Soviet emigrants,” he said. “It is clear that it is not enough for us to save bodies, though that in itself is a serious task. We must be certain that the fires of Jewish pride and commitment to Jewish values are kept burning. That is the reason,” he added, “JDC plans augmented commitment to Jewish education in the 1980s.”
Goldman called on world Jewry to share with the JDC the responsibility towards needy communities, “including Israel where educational and welfare programs are demanding increased funds in view of the country’s critical social and economic problems.”
AIDING PEOPLE OF CAMBODIA
Robinson complimented the American Jewish community for its generous response to the appeal to aid the people of Cambodia. “Funds are coming in daily,” he said. “It is a demonstration of the generosity of the Jewish community and of the responsiveness of its institutions. This is the historic JDC role,” he added, “helping people to help people.” The JDC is cooperating with the Catholic Relief Services and the Church World Service in the Interfaith Hunger Appeal.
A highlight of the meeting was presentation of the “Ma’asim Tovim” (Good Deeds) Award to Herbert Katzki, associate executive vice president of JDC. Katzki is retiring after 43 years as an executive officer in the agency’s overseas rescue, relief and rehabilitation programs.
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