Federations and Welfare Funds Council Asks Unity Despite U.J.A. Break

He Le Lurie, executive director of the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds, today issued a statement to the welfare funds and other member agencies of the C JFWF reporting on the efforts of the Council to assist in bringing about the reconstitution of the United Jewish Appeal for 1945. The Council is prepared to do everything possible to assist its welfare fund agencies in readjusting their campaigns to the separate appeals of the JDC, UPA and NRS and in strengthening themselves as instruments for united communal action in fund raising as well as other communal endeavors.

In describing the Council efforts Mr. Lurie states that the former constituents of the UJA were equally cooperative with the Council’s efforts to promote an agreement for 1945. “Several proposals were made by the Council representatives, some of which involved specific items as to the initial amount to be divided and the division nation and others involving the establishment of drawing accounts and delegating the responsibility for dividing the bulk of the funds to an allotment committee of agency and community representatives. Some of these proposals were acceptable to one side and others to the other side; but in any event refusal to accept a particular proposal was done after most earnest consideration and only because the organization believed that the proposal would not do justice to the needs of the program and the people served by it.”

The statement indicates also that the failure to reach a UJA agreement in no way reduces the need for support of the causes served by the former UJA constituents. “The needs for 1945 both for general overseas relief, rescue and rehabilitation falling within the scope of the JDC and for the Palestinian programs financed through the UPA are probably greater now than they were at any previous time. The Council feels that the welfare funds should speedily readjust their campaign plans to the separate appeals for the purpose of raising the largest possible amount for all causes and for the purpose of preserving and strengthening communal solidarity which is more important now than ever before.”