Mrs. Matzkin Says U.S. Economic Crisis May Effect Hadassah Work

“The present state of the economy may have a far-reaching effect on the work and the membership of Hadassah–and of other voluntary organizations as well,” Rose E. Matzkin, national president of Hadassah said today in her report to the annual national Mid-Winter Conference meeting at the New York Hilton Hotel. The conference ends Thursday. “So far, Hadassah chapters are meeting their fund-raising quotas, and membership is holding up,” reported the president of the 335,000-member organization–the largest women’s voluntary group in the U.S.

“However,” she continued, “we are not oversubscribed as in past years, which would help to compensate for the inflation. And while membership is steady, we do know that more women are going to work than previously. On the other hand,” Mrs. Matzkin noted, because the medical, educational and rehabilitation services which Hadassah provides in Israel are an ongoing responsibility, and because Hadassah has no professional fund raisers, “our members feel a personal sense of obligation to meet these commitments. Especially since Israel has less money than usual available for health, education and welfare because of its staggering defense budget.”

Despite the state of the economy, Mrs. Matzkin reported that the Hadassah Tourism Department continues to maintain its full year-round schedule of tours to Israel. “While concern for Israel is as strong as ever in the American Jewish community, people seem to believe that the emergency is over,” she said. “Actually, between security needs, inflation, the drop in the GNP because of labor mobilization and the tight world economy, and the continuing absorption of new immigrants, Israel needs more help than ever,” Mrs. Matzkin said. She also called for the reaffirmation of the spiritual and cultural bonds between-Israeli and diaspora Jews.