One of the most comprehensive groups of international Jewish leaders ever to gather in the United States will attend the February 18-19 meeting here of the Board of Governors of the Jewish Agency, it was announced here.
The Board of Governors, the Jewish Agency’s primary policy-making body, is composed of 74 members, representing Jewish community and Zionist organization leadership. Following the Board meeting, Agency Board members and staff will participate in Jewish Agency Week, a series of visits to Jewish communities throughout the United States and Canada.
In a joint statement issued in New York and Jerusalem, Jerold Hoffberger, chairman of the Jewish Agency’s Board, and Leon Dulzin chairman of the Agency’s Executive, described the February meetings as “a unique effort to bring the Israeli and diaspora leadership closer together.
“A wide range of North American Jewish leadership will be able to learn during the New York meetings how the Board of Governors functions. During Jewish Agency Week, Israeli and diaspora members of the Board will be brought into direct contact with the leadership of Federations and Zionist organizations in the Jewish communities of North America.”
The Board’s agenda will include consideration of and action on the Agency budget, which is primarily expended through the major program departments: Immigration and Absorption, Youth Aliya, Rural Settlement and Project Renewal. Other topics for consideration will include an update on the absorption of Ethiopian Jews, and planning for the June 22-26 Jewish Agency Assembly in Jerusalem.
BRIEFING ON AGENCY PROGRAMS
During Jewish Agency Week, teams of Board members and senior Agency staff will visit communities to conduct briefings on current Agency programs. These meetings will involve local campaign leadership, Boards of Directors of Federations, Jewish Agency Committees and Zionist leaders designated by the individual communities, in an attempt to increase awareness of the Agency’s far-ranging activities.
In commenting on the decision to hold the February meetings in New York, Hoffberger and Dulzin stated: “By becoming involved, the broad-based group of Jewish leaders will contribute to a deepening of the partnership between Israel and world Jewry. The Board of Governors meeting and Jewish Agency Week offer opportunity for furthering our understanding of one another and our mutual responsibilities both for raising of funds and their appropriate use in Israel, through the Agency’s delivery of vital services.”
The meetings will be held at the New York offices of the United Israel Appeal and at the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of New York.
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