American Jewry is to be asked to contribute 2,500,000 dollars to the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, to enable it to carry on a programme of minimum relief and social reconstruction among the suffering Jews in Eastern and Central Europe, according to an announcement made by Rabbi Jonah B. Wise, the National Chairman of the fund campaign of the Committee.
This quota adopted at a meeting of the Executive Committee is based on facts and figures submitted by Dr. Bernard Kahn, the European Director of the Committee, who described conditions among Jews abroad as "bordering on panic", Dr. Wise explained, adding that this sum will enable the Committee to provide at least on a minimum scale, immediate relief to the starving and distressed in Poland, Lithuania, Sub-Carpatho, Roumania, and other areas, as well as to continue its medical cultural and rehabilitative activities which are helping hundreds of thousands of Jewish families to become self-dependent.
A nation-wide campaign is being organised. A National Council, consisting of 535 prominent Jewish men and women in different parts of the country has been formed and the representatives of this Council who have been chosen from 211 sections in the country, will co-operative in the fund-raising undertaking.
The funds raised will be used exclusively for the aid of Jews in Eastern and Central Europe. Of the funds raised, it is stated, 12 per cent. will be used for emergency aid and other contingencies, 55 per cent. for economic aid and rehabilitation activity, 27 per cent. for child and orphan care, medical and sanitary aid, subsidies to welfare institutions, as well as for educational work, and 6 per cent. for operating expenses.
Especially at this time, says a statement issued by Mr. Felix M. Warburg, Honorary Chairman, Mr. Paul Baerwald, Chairman, and the other officers of the Joint Distribution Committee, leaders abread implore us that American aid must not cease. Though it be on a modest scale and much less than the munificent sums which American Jews gave so generously when they were able, American support is needed, not only for what it actually accomplishes by way of relief and reconstruction, but also because, as a bulwark of moral encouragement, it symbolises to the peoples abroad the deep and abiding interest of the Jews of America in the philanthropic and social needs of the Jewish populations abroad.
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