Uia Board Ratifies New By-laws

The United Israel Appeal’s Board of Trustees has ratified changes in the by-laws of the UIA to expand its Board of Directors from 39 to 63 and give more direct participation in the organization’s affairs to local Jewish Federations and the national United Jewish Appeal.

The new by-laws are geared to insure that UIA’s work will more directly reflect thinking on the local scene. The ratification took place at the UIA’s recent 60th anniversary meeting.

Under the old by-laws, American Jewish communities and national UIA were represented by 25 Board members. Federations will now directly select 24 members through the UIA nominating process, including the Council of Jewish Federations president in ex officio.

They will also find their active leadership among the 12 UJA and 12 UIA at-large nominees. This procedure was announced by Irwin Field, chairman of the UIA, who served as chairman of the Special UIA Committee to propose changes in the organization’s by-laws.

At the 60th anniversary meeting, Henry Taub of Englewood, N.J. was elected chairman of the UIA’s Board of Directors. Alex Grass of Harrisburg, Pa., became treasurer, and Raymond Epstein of Chicago was chosen as a life trustee.

Taub, who is the immediate past chairman of the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, succeeded Field who served as UIA chairman from 1983 to 1986. Field is now honorary chairman of the UIA. Grass has served as national chairman of the UJA since 1984.

Epstein is currently chairman of the Jewish Agency Committee of the Council of Jewish Federations and is a past president of the CJF. He is also a member of the Board of Governors and the Executive of the Jewish Agency.