Israeli Leaders Decide to Ask Zionist Groups in U.S. to Merge Their Drives with U.J.A.

The Jewish Agency executive today announced its intention to approach major recognized Zionist fund-raising organizations in the United States with a request that they consider favorably the idea of conducting a joint campaign with the United Jewish Appeal in 1950.

The announcement was made following a two-day conference attended by all members of the Israeli Cabinet, all members of the Jewish Agency executive, leaders of the Keren Hayesod and of the Jewish National Fund, as well as representatives of the Histadrut, Hadassah, Joint Distribution Committee, United Palestine Appeal, United Jewish Appeal and the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds in the United States. The conference was devoted to the question of eliminating multiple fund-raising campaigns in behalf of Israel in America.

The conference recommended the establishment of a licensing and control system for organizations raising funds for Israel in the United States. It urged the establishment of a special body in Israel to determine the validity of various fund-raising campaigns, to define the minimal operational standards, establish the financial responsibility of the agencies engaged in fund-raising outside of the United Jewish Appeal, and to eliminate overlapping and duplicating agencies. The conference called on all responsible groups in the United States to cooperate with the committee’s objectives in the licensing and control of fund-raising groups.

COMMITTEE APPOINTED TO PREPARE PROGRAM ON CHECKING MULTIPLE CAMPAIGNS

A special committee was appointed at the conference to formulate a specific program of procedure for the licensing and control of multiple campaigns in America. Several American Jewish leaders who participated in the conference stressed the fact that the U.J.A. drive for 1950 may face serious difficulties. They, therefore, urged the integration of fund-raising programs and the coordination and planning on the part of major recognized organizations which are conducting independent fund-raising campaigns in the United States.

The official statement published at the conclusion of the conference emphasized that the parley was called for the purpose of planning the most effective organization of fund-raising activities in the United States, bearing in mind maximum support of the United Jewish Appeal. “The conference dealt with the growing problem of multiple campaigns for Israel which present a serious threat to the U.J.A. in 1950,” the statement said.

The conference acknowledged that while some campaigns are being conducted in the United States by organizations which are carrying out constructive functions in Israel, many other fund-raising drives currently under way in America make no constructive contribution to Israel’s welfare and are detrimental to the achievement of the most effective maximum support for the Jewish state.

The Jewish Agency statement expressed the hope that Henry Montor would continue to give professional direction to the United Jewish Appeal in 1950. Mr. Montor, who was one of the participants at the conference, left today by plane for the United States.

Attending the conference, in addition to the members of the Israeli Cabinet and of the Jewish Agency executive, were: Dr. Abraham Granovsky, head of the Jewish National ### Herman, directors of the Karen Hayesod Pinhas Lubianiker, Israel Meriminski and Mrs. Beba Idelson, leaders of the Histadrut. The Americans participating in the parley included: Mrs. Herman Schulman, representing the Hadassah, Dr. Joseph Schwartz, European director of the Joint Distribution Committee; Harry Lurie, executive director of the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds; Harold Goldenberg, Henry Montor, Henry Bernstein and Sam Rothberg, of the United Jewish Appeal; Ellis Radinski, representing the United Palestine Appeal, and Dr. Harris Levine, a leading member of the Zionist Organization of America.