UJA Reports Gains in Early 1985 Campaign Efforts

The 1985 United Jewish Appeal regular campaign, at its third annual Hineni leadership meeting in Washington, announced pledges totaling $7,638,200, according to UJA chairman Alexander Grass. He said this represented a 14.3 percent increase over contributions made by the same donors a year ago.

The three-day gathering provided an opportunity for the UJA leaders to see the government in operation and to speak directly to Administration officials about their concerns in American Jewish life, and American-Israeli relations.

The September 30-October 2 gathering was highlighted by meetings with Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger, Treasury Secretary Donald Regan, Ambassador William Brock, Undersecretary of State kenneth Dam, and briefing by other highranking Administration officials. The meeting included 117 participants from 24 communities. H. Irwin Levy of Palm Beach, Fla. was Hineni chairman.

A RECORD-BREAKING ACHIEVEMENT

In what was described as a record-breaking achievement, the UJA’s National Young Leadership Cobinet has raised more than $4.1 million for the 1985 campaign, according to the new Cabinet chairman, Carl Kaplan.

He said that, of that sum, $3,150,000 was pledged at the Cabinet’s 22nd annual retreat in Princeton, N.J. The total included $2.6 million for the regular campaign — a 33 percent increase over contributions by the same donors last year — and $550,000 in pledges to Project Renewal.

The 275 participants heard Kaplan and the Cabinets co-chairman of Israel-Diaspora Relations, Daniel Rubin, announce an expanded agenda to improve those relations.

ECONOMIC MISSIONS TO ISRAEL SCHEDULED

One development will be an economic mission to Israel to bring young American Jewish businessmen together with their Israel counterparts. This mission, sponsored by UJA in conjunction with local Federations, is palnned for late spring, 1985.

A series of five Young Leadership Cabinet regional missions to Israel, under the general title of “Gesher,” Hebrew for “bridge,” will be held between December, 1984 and March, 1985, according to Ted Young, the Cabinet Missions chairman.

The Cabinet also will sponsor five regional leadership development retreats in 1985 in cooperation with the UJA Young Women’s Leadership Cabinet, the Council of Jewish Federations, and local Federations. Chairpersons for these retreats will be Stephen Dann of Cincinnati, the Cabinet’s Leadership Development chairman, and Sandy Neuman of St. Paul, Minn., vice chairwoman of Leadership Development Retreats for the Young Women’s Leadership Cabinet. Opening its annual campaign in Israel for the first time, the UJA inaugurated its 1985 fund-raising with pledges totalling more than $12 million, according to Grass. He said that of the total, $11,593,743 was committed to the regular UJA campaign and that new and increased pledges of $1,171,980 were for Project Renewal for poverty areas paired with American Jewish communities. He said the 1984 campaign was starting with a 38 percent increase over pledges made at the some time last year.

“Several communities reported substantial increases compared to last year’s contributions by the same donors, including Detroit, 45 percent; Philadelphia, 40 percent; Boston, 36 percent; Baltimore 34 percent; and Los Angeles, 25 percent, “Grass reported.

THREE MISSIONS LED TO FINAL TALLY

He said three national UJA missions contributed to the final tally. The campaign chairmen’s leadership mission brought 441 participants from 46 communities on a five-day fact-finding tour ending with a caucus in Eilat on September 13. Commitments of $9,795,718 for the regular campaign were recorded with an additional $1,001,750 obtained in new or larger pledges for Project Renewal.

The Community Campaign Leadership Mission, led by Martin Stein, began its Israel program on September 17 and ended with a caucus in Jerusalem on September 20. This mission’s 161 commitments for 1985 totaled $1,398,985 for the regular campaign and $62,850 in new or increased pledges for Project Renewal.

The National Women’s Division Leadership Mission, led by Women’s Division chairperson Harriet Zimmerman, and Missions chairperson Dorothy Goren, started with a visit to Budapest September 9-13 and ended with a caucus in Tel Aviv on September 20.

The 87 commitments made in Tel Aviv represented a 54 percent increase over 1984 pledges, with $401,040 pledged to the regular campaign and $107,380 in new or increased funds for Project Renewal, according to Stanley Horowitz, UJA president.

The three national UJA missions, along with New York City’s Third William Rosenwald International Mission, joined in Jerusalem September 14-16 for the first National Opening Conference, the official start of the UJA’s 1984 campaign.