Judge Irving Lehman Again Heads Jewish Welfare Board

Judge Irving Lehman was unanimously re-elected president of the Jewish Welfare Board at a meeting of the Executive Committee, held in New York City. He has been president of the Jewish Welfare Board since 1921.

Felix M. Warburg of New York City, Jacob M. Loeb of Chicago, Jocob K. Newman of New York City, and Judge M. C. Sloss of San Francisco, were unanimously re-etected as vice-presidents. Joseph Rosenzweig was re-elected secretary and Benjamin J. Buttenwieser, treasurer.

Fifteen new Jewish Community Center buildings were now under construction in various cities, Judge Lehman reported. These buildings represent a total cost of $5,250,000, of which over $4,350,000 is actual cash expenditure, and $900,000 or 18 per cent, consists of mortgage indebtedness. “This,” he said, “represents a substantial improvement in the financing of Jewish Centers, and promises a greater measure of stability for these enterprises. This favorable developments may accurately, in large measure, be attributed to the policies of sound planning and financing consistently advocated by the Board. This work required patience, sustained guidance and encouragement, technical knowledge of economical planning, construction and equipment, the development of sound financial procedure, and training of local executives and volunteer personnel in dealing with the many problems that arise in connection with the planning and opening of new buildings. All of our resources were brought to the aid of these projects-our field service, department of studies, campaign staff, building and equipment bureau, personnel department, program service, and specialized aid in creating machinery of management.

“This is not a work of promotion; it may be more accurately described as a task of creation. In these new projects, the communities do not merely build Jewish Center structures. They build new organizations,-centers of Jewish activity intended to serve a vital purpose in our Jewish life in America. They are living organisms, and must be nurtured with solicitous care and attention. To be able to accomplish their purposes, they must be launched under the most favorable conditions. Our experience abundantly teaches us that they must be free of burdens that will impede their proper development and thus result in frustration of the purposes which motivated the leaders of the community.

“But in my opinion we must go even further-we must try to eliminate altogether the burdensome, capital interest charges, so that the energies of the leaders of local organizations will be entirely released for furthering the larger interest of the movement,” Judge Lehman declared.

Judge Lehman eulogized the late Felix Fuld, a member of the Executive.

Council and a leader in the Jewish Center movement.

A report was presented by Hugo H. Piesen, a member of the Executive Council, on the results of his visit to the Panama Canal Zone in connection with the activities conducted by the Jewish Welfare Board in that area for men in the miltary and naval service.

Rabbi Jacob Leibowitz was unanimously elected national executive secretary of the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of American at the last meeting of the Executive Committee of the Union.