The election of Samuel D. Leidesdorf as chairman of the Business Men’s Council of the Federation for the Support of Jewish Philanthropic Societies for a fourth term, was announced yesterday by Felix M. Warburg, chairman of the Board of the Federation, and Joseph M. Proskauer, president. The Business Men’s Council is the fund raising unit of the Federation which each year conducts a campaign to raise the deficits incurred in providing funds for the support of 91 affiliated philanthropic institutions, including seven hospitals, 17 child-care institutions, a home for the aged and other philanthropic agencies.
In addition to announcing the election of Mr. Leidesdorf as chairman, Mr. Warburg and Judge Proskauer announced the following vice-chairmen: Paul Adler, a governor of the New York Stock Exchange; Mrs. Sidney C. Borg, who is chairman of the Women’s Division of the Federation; Ira Haupt, long a leader of the Federation’s Wall Street Committee; Henry F. Samstag and Frederick M. Warburg.
“The Business Men’s Council, which numbers more than 1,500 volunteer workers for the Federation, has, in the 17 years of the Federation’s history, raised more than $16,500,000 to wipe out deficits incurred each year in the operation of the 91 affiliated philanthropic agencies,” Mr. Warburg and Judge Proskauer said. “In the face of the difficult business conditions of the past several years, the problems have been many, but in 1932 it succeeded again in raising the complete deficit.
“Last year’s success was particularly notable because of the conditions which prevailed. To have been able in its campaign to obtain special donations totalling almost $1,300,000 we feel was a remarkable achievement of which both the Jewish community of New York and the Business Men’s Council may well be proud. Much of this success was undoubtedly due to the devotion and untiring efforts of Mr. Leidesdorf and the 1,500 loyal Federation volunteers under his leadership.
IN 130 TRADES, PROFESSIONS
The Business Men’s Council is made up of three major divisions under which are organized the activities of the trades and professions, the activities of women under the Women’s Division, headed by Mrs. Borg, with Mrs. Felix M. Warburg, Mrs. Alfred A. Cook, Mrs. Joseph Brettauer and Mrs. Arthur Lehman as associate chairmen; and the activities of the younger workers in the Junior Federation, of which Irving Berkelhammer is President. Under the Business Men’s Council are 130 trade and professional committees which are charged with the duty of soliciting funds in their respective trades or professions in behalf of the Federation. The work is done entirely by volunteers, the active period of the campaign running from about the middle of October until January 1 of each year.
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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.