U.J.A. Holds Western States Conference; Advances ‘priority Aid’ Program

A strong plea for “rededication of our energies” to a five-point priority aid program for immigrants in Israel and distressed Jews throughout the world was made to American Jewish leaders here last night by Joseph Meyerhoff, general chairman of the United Jewish Appeal.

Mr. Meyerhoff addressed more than 700 key Jewish communal leaders from 13 states attending the final session of the three-day Western States Conference of the United Jewish Appeal at the Riviera Hotel. The UJA head listed these five mosts important aims for the 1961 campaign:

1. Help Israel’s people to continue to receive all Jews who seek haven on their shores; 2. Speed the building of creative lives for thousands of recent newcomers who have not yet been truly absorbed into Israel’s economy; 3. Help fellow Jews to settle in other free lands; 4. Assist the reconstruction of Jewish community life in areas of Europe where the local Jewish communities still are too weak to complete such reconstruction without help; 5. Provide welfare services for Jews in need in 26 countries outside Israel.

The purpose of the conference here was to formulate action programs for local community drives throughout the 13 western states to mobilize maximum support for the UJA’s national 1961 campaign goal of $72,740,000 required for global operations to aid distressed Jews. Co-chairmen of the Conference are Benjamin Swig, of San Francisco, and J. M. Stuchen, of Los Angeles.

Other major speakers included Dewey D.Stone, UJA national chairman; Mrs. Paulette Oppert Fink, chairman of the UJA National Women’s Division; Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman, UJA executive vice-chairman, and Samuel Haber, assistant overseas director of the Joint Distribution Committee.