Detailed reports on changes in resources and programs for American Jewish philanthropic work in Israel and in other overseas countries were presented to the General Assembly of the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds here, by Moses A. Leavitt, executive vice-chairman of the Joint Distribution Committee, and Gottlieb Hammer, executive vice-chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel, Inc.
Mr. Leavitt predicted that 1965 would be a year of transition for JDC and for the tens of thousands of Jews it serves overseas. In this context, he pointed to the fact that the JDC faces the loss of one-quarter of its income next year, with the conclusion of payments by the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany. To overcome the dangerous gap between funds available and needs in Europe, North Africa, Israel and other areas, Mr. Leavitt called for additional support from the American Jewish community.
Mr. Hammer reported that the governing factor in American Jewish commitment to overseas needs during the forthcoming year was the continuing large-scale migration of Jews around the globe. “The magnitude of this commitment cannot be pre-budgeted or pre-determined by us, ” he said. “To a large degree it is a matter beyond our control.”
Nevertheless, he urged, this commitment must take high priority in the order of American Jewish communal responsibilities. Israel cannot continue to absorb the inflationary impact of such large-scale migration unless the American Jewish community assumes its fair share of the costs of migration, absorption and resettlement of Israel’s newcomers, he said.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
