New York Federation of Jewish Philanthropies Holds Annual Meeting

An income of $4,849,911 and expenditures of $4,843,985 for the year 1928 were reported by Walter E. Baer, treasurer of the New York Federation for the Support of Jewish Philanthropic Societies at the twelfth annual meeting yesterday afternoon, held at the Community House of Congregation Emanu-El, New York City.

In his report as president of the Federation, Sol M. Stroock cited the growth of the organization from 12,000 supporters when it was founded in 1917 to 33,000 during the year just ended, but added that only those who themselves must receive relief are exempt from helping to provide it and pleaded for a “more thoroughly democratic support of the Federation.”

George McAneny, former president of the Borough of Manhattan, speaking as a member of the Regional Plan of New York and its Environs, delivered the principal address. Mr. McAneny declared that the key to improvement of social conditions, as planned by philanthropic groups of agencies, such as the Jewish Federation, is in part in the improvement of physical conditions which includes better working and living habits, better zoning and other attempts at the reduction of the complexities of city life. The following eight trustees-at-large, whose terms expired yesterday, were re-elected for terms of three years: Zion de Frece Bernstein, Joseph L. Buttenwieser, Benjamin F. Feiner, Dr. Lee K. Frankel, Jonah J. Goldstein, I. Edwin Goldwasser, Henry F. Samstag and Felix M. Warburg. Henry Ittleson was elected to fill the unexpired term as a trustee made vacant by the death of Col. H. A. Guinzburg.

Miss Renee Schieber, soprano of the Temple Emanu-El Choir, sang several numbers and was accompanied by Gottiried H. Federlein. Gerald F. Warburg played the cello, accompanied by Miss Marie Rosanoff.

Special words of thanks were given to Dudley D. Sicher, Samuel D. Leidesdorf and Frederick M. Warburg, for direction of the 1928 campaign.

Mr. Stroock stated that the Federation “is not only an impersonal money-raising and money-distributing machine” and described it as “a state of mind shot through with human sympathy and human understanding.” He lauded the late Jacob H. Schiff and his associates in the founding of the Federation, as having set an example of intelligent philanthropic endeavor which has served “as a standard in all of our communal activities.” “Mr. Schiff’s vast benefactions of money,” said Mr. Stroock, were surpassed by the enduring benefactions of his personal labors and services. It seems to me that we should undertake each year in some great hall suitably to commemorate the anniversary of his birth, not for the glorification of his imperishable memory, but in order that those who were not privileged to know him personally may be inspired to carry on as we who knew him and loved him were in our time inspired so to do.”

The president pointed out that the 1928 budget prepared by the Distribution Committee agreed on a $9,063,706 gross expenditure and $4,624,144 net to be supplied by the Federation to the affiliated societies and that the voting of these sums created at the beginning of 1928 a cash deficit of $1,425,000, a shortage which was wiped out by the fall campaign. Before the campaign was successfully concluded, however, it was necessary, Mr. Stroock reported, to borrow from the banks, the loans amounting to $800,000 on December 1 last and involving the Federation in an expenditure of $13,000 in interest. This expenditure he termed “an unnecessary drain upon the resources of Federation” and declared that if the community came to a full realization that the money for the institutions must be raised and paid each year, it would not be necessary to wait for a campaign or for the end of the year to make donations to meet these deficits and the institutions “even for a moment would not be placed in jeopardy.”

The report went on to explain that while the Federation was “essentially Jewish,” no sectarian distinction is made in many of the institutional activities and that the Federation “cooperates with the great social service organizations and societies maintained by our fellow-citizens of other faiths and that our relations with all of them continue most happy and cordial.” As instances of ratification of the approval of the organization, Mr. Stroock cited gifts during the year of $50,000 from John D. Rockefeller, Jr.; $50,000 from the Altman Foundation; $75,000 from the Charity Chest of the Fur Industry; $10,000 from the Hofheimer Foundation and $10,000 from the New York Foundation.