U.S. Communities Favor Merger of Drives for Israel Institutions

Full support for current efforts in Israel to have the Hebrew University, Haifa Technion and the Weizmann Institute merge their fund-raising campaigns in the United States has been given by the Jewish federations and welfare funds in this country, it was learned here today by the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.

Reflecting the wishes of the Jewish communities in the United States, leaders of the Councils of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds reaffirmed the urgent need for unified fund-raising by the three institutions. This, they pointed out, would enable the transfer of a substantial part of the approximately $650, 000 being spent by these institutions for fund-raising and administration in the U.S. to direct use by the institutions in Israel.

Leaders of the Israel Government and of the Jewish Agency feel strongly that such a merger should take place as soon as possible, it was indicated here today. A committee representing the Finance and Education Ministries of the Government of Israel and the Jewish Agency is examining in detail the maintenance and finances of the three institutions, it was revealed. The recommendations of this committee will be available soon to the Jewish communities in the United States.

At present communities in this country allocate funds to each of the three institutions according to a formula previously recommended by Dr. Giora Josephthal, treasurer of the Jewish Agency. The formula provides for 55 percent of the total allocated for Israel’s institutions of higher education to the Hebrew University, 23 percent to the Haifa Technion and 22 percent to the Weizmann Institute. However, during his recent visit to this country, Dr. Josephthal told the leaders of the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds that the Israel Government, as well as the Jewish Agency, favors having the three institutions merge their campaigns and that the Jewish communities in this country will soon be advised whether any revision in the allocations formula should be made.

Dr. Josephthal was assured by the CJFWF leaders that they would accept the judgment of the committee in Israel which is now studying the merger issue. They pointed out that even under the existing “Josephthal formula” there is no need for the three institutions to send separate representatives to local budget hearings, and that “one representative can serve the same purpose better in behalf of all three, with substantial saving in expense.”

WEIZMANN INSTITUTE PRESENTS DETAILED MERGER PLAN

Meanwhile, a specific proposal for the unification in the United States of fund-raising activities of the three institutions by Meyer W. Weisgal, chairman of the executive council of the Weizmann Institute of Science, was made known here this week-end. Mr. Weisgal proposed that:

1. The three institutions should give up independent organizations in the United States and establish one central office in New York.

2. A salaried president should run the organization. Present administrators for the three institutions should resign to give the new leader a free hand.

3. About $8, 000, 000 should be budgeted by the institutions for improvements and maintenance in a year. The New York United Jewish Appeal and the welfare funds should raise $2, 000, 000. The Jewish Agency should supply a similar amount. The Israeli Government should put up $3, 000, 000 and another $1,000,000 should be raised elsewhere in the world.

4. The organization of the combined institutions should aid campaigns of the United Jewish Appeal and also continue their own fund-raising efforts solely for capital investment.

5. If the United Jewish Appeal should take over all fund-raising for the institution, this should not be at the expense of any other Israel activity. In addition a New York office of the three institutions should continue to help with the appeal.

Mr. Weisgal also brought up the question of the actual unification of the three institutions as Weizmann University or University of Israel. He proposed the collaboration of the institutions be studied by an Israeli equivalent of a British Royal Commission,

AMERICAN TECHNION SOCIETY OPPOSES PROPOSED MERGER

J. W, Wunsch, president of the American Technion Society, yesterday stated he opposes the merger, because the Technion and Hebrew University have nothing to gain from such move. He insists that these two institutions “do not share the same problems with the Weizmann Institute.”

(The American Friends of the Hebrew University would make no comment because its president,. Dr, George S. Wise, is currently in Israel. Dr. Joseph J. Schwartz, executive vice-chairman of the United Jewish Appeal, remarked that the question of support for the three institutions “needs study and appraisal. ” He added that “no formal action” could be taken by the UJA until such study had been made and approved.