Problems of Small Jewish Communities in U.S. Discussed at Three-day Conference

Problems concerning Jewish communal activities in small towns in the United States were discussed here at a three-day conference of representatives of Jewish communities in Michigan, Ohio and Indiana arranged by the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds. The conference–the first of its kind–adopted the following recommendations:

l. That the Committee on Stable and Unified Fund-Raising of the C.J.F.W.F. continue its study of problems related to national Jewish fund-raising, multiplicity of campaigns and excessive promotional programs.

2. That the small communities give further thought to the role of the central Jewish community organization with regard to problems of fund-raising, allocations, Jewish education, cultural activities, community relations and social welfare.

3. That the small communities consider seriously new methods of inter-community cooperation for joint communal problems and that the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds continue to furnish communities with factual information on the programs and budgets of all organizations which depend upon them for support.

FIFTY SMALL COMMUNITIES RAISE $3.800,000 FOR PHILANTHROPIC WORK

It was revealed at the conference that some 50 small Jewish communities raised $3,800,000 last year for national and overseas causes. Keynoting the conference, Rabbi Harry Esrig, of Grand Rapids, Mich., stated that “the time is indeed ripe for the small community to assert itself on the American Jewish scene.” He added that the recent huge fund-raising campaigns “have helped to mature the small community with respect to its responsibilities toward Jewish survival.”

Herman Morton, president of the Jewish Federation of Southern Illinois, an organization embracing some 60 communities, spoke of the structure and program of that organization as an example of successful inter-community cooperation for Jewish education and other communal needs. The role of the small community as a partner with the national agencies and the large cities in meeting the responsibilities for national and overseas needs was emphasized in a discussion led by Benjamin B. Rosenberg, director of field service for the C.J.F.W.F.

The importance of a sound budgeting and allocation process as one of the major means by which communities can achieve participation in policy-making of national agencies was pointed up by William Avrunnin, associate director of the Detroit Jewish welfare Federation. Other discussants included David J. Ross, Benton Harbor, Mich., Henry Heferman, South Bend, Ind., and Herbert Rosenbloom, Gary, Ind.