The Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds today issued an announcement emphasizing how “years of intensive local community organization which promoted unity, harmony and singleness of purpose in developing Jewish social welfare programs reaped a rich harvest of success in unprecedented fund raising results.”
“Philadelphia, animated by victories in 1943 and 1944 when it twice broke into the million dollar campaign circle, showed high confidence in its organizational strength by setting $2,225,000 as its 1945 goal,” the announcement says. “That confidence proved well-founded when it hit that mark–a splendid increase of $400,523 over 1944,” the announcement points out.
Cleveland met the test of communal strength by going above a million dollars for the second consecutive year, this time raising $1,342,000 which is $235,000 more than it raised in 1944.
Los Angeles, with a goal of $3,000,000 this year, is aiming at first place in the list of communities, outside of New York City. It has already passed last year’s $2,000,000 figure.
Other outstanding results include Newark, last year $706,000, total to date $851,000, with $900,000 certain on the basis of outstanding gifts; Worcester which achieved $275,000 as against last years $204,000; and Akron which went over its 1945 goel by $36,000 when it reported $236,000. Houston raised $225,000 which is $74,000 more than it did last year. Omaha, incomplete at $206,000 is already $38,000 ahead of 1944. Top results on the west coast were also reported by Seattle, Portland and oakland.
CANADIAN JEWISH COMMUNITIES ALSO SHOW INCREASE IN FUND-RAISING
Canadian Jewish communities showed the same pattern of performance, the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds reports. Winnipeg, on the basis of dramatic increases from top givers, is assured of $256,000, which will be an increase of $75,000 over last year. Hamilton showed a tidy increase of $10,500 over 1944 by raising $59,300 this year, and Windsor reported that it raised $57,000. Commenting on the high level of success enjoyed by Jewish communities this Spring, Sidney Holiander, president of the Council said.
“The continued upward trend in fund raising reported by our Jewish communities reflects the value of federations, welfare funds, and community councils in developing cooperation among the varied Jewish elements and interest groups in every locality. This type of central organization has been responsible for making every Jewish resident conscious of his share of responsibility in helping to finance common Jewish causes and activities. It successfully introduced and developed the one-time, overall campaign effort for all Jewish needs to the elimination of the wasteful, timeconsuming, fragmentizing individual drives which prevailed in the past.
“Were it not for this progress, among others, the advantages accruing from a high national income, full employment, and favorable tax deductions for philanthropic purposes might have been lost to the Jewish community campaigns. Our communities, which have attained a high degree of organization, can face the future with confidence on the basis of their superb performances this Spring.”
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
