U. J. A. Three-day National Conference Opens Today in Miami Beach

More than 600 Jewish community leaders from all parts of the country arrived here today to attend the three-day National Inaugural Conference of the United Jewish Appeal at which the 1955 campaign will be launched. The conference will start its sessions tomorrow.

“One of the main objectives of the conference is the establishment of a standard for giving for this year’s campaign,” William Rosenwald, general chairman of the UJA, declared here today. The setting of this standard, he said, will take place on the final day of the conference as the more than 600 participants are called on to announce their 1955 gifts. He noted that if these gifts are inline with those made late in January at a testimonial dinner to Mr. Warburg, when $10,150,000 in increased donations came forward from close to 1,000 contributors, the UJA will get off to the greatest start since its establishment in 1939.

This year’s drive has a goal of $99. 521,275 for the financing of urgent settlement, welfare and rehabilitation programs in Israel and 20 other countries. Funds raised through the campaign will be allocated to the United Israel Appeal, Joint Distribution Committee and New York Association for New Americans.

Since its founding in January, 1939, the UJA has raised close to $1,000,000,000 and has made possible the rescue, resettlement and rehabilitation of more than 2,500,000 men, women and children. The conference at Miami Beach will signal the opening of campaign activity in a total of 5,200 American communities.

Mr. Rosenwald emphasized that nearly 500,000 Jewish men, women and children must be aided by UJA-financed projects this year. He pointed to such critical programs as the ship-to-settlement operation, which will aid some 36,000 Jews from tension-ridden North Africa to settle in Israel and immediately take up productive lives in the country.