New Yorkers have already contributed more than $36,000,000 to the 1949 drive of the United Jewish Appeal of Greater New York, the general campaign chairmen reported to 500 community leaders attending a luncheon at the Waldorf-Astoria today.
In response to a plea by Aubrey Eban, Israel’s representative to the United Nations, for funds that are needed immediately to enable Israel to receive, care for and house the thousands of immigrants entering its gates, the community leaders pledged themselves to continue and intensify the metropolitan U.J.A. drive.
The report on campaign progress thus far showed that $29,750,000 has been raised by more than 300 trade and community campaign divisions; $3,650,000 by the Women’s Division; and $2,600,000 by fraternal and benevolent organizations affiliated with the U.J.A. Council of Organizations. The report was delivered by Jerome I. Udell, a general chairman of the city-wide drive, speaking on behalf of his fellow general chairman, Samuel Hausman, Judge Jacob Livingston, Jack D. Weiler and Edward M.M. Warburg.
In appealing for a continued flow of U.J.A. funds to Israel, Mr. Eban cited the fact that 70,000 newly-arrived immigrants are still in reception centers, awaiting housing and jobs. Caring for them in the camps and preparing them for absorption into Israeli life is the responsibility of agencies of the United Palestine Appeal, one of the beneficiaries of the United Jewish Appeal campaign.
Mr. Udell stressed the vital importance of the time element in U.J.A. activities. He said: “In mid-November, the rainy season begins in Israel. Will the new immigrants still be in the tents then, subject to the ravages of weather and the danger of disease, or will they have decent shelter? If we are going to do anything about this, the time to do it is now — at once.”
Samuel D. Leidesdorf, treasurer of the United Jewish Appeal of Greater New York, told of the need of U.J.A. agencies for immediate cash to maintain their world-wide operations. Funds are needed for the relief, rehabilitation and resettlement work of the Joint Distribution Committee in Europe and North Africa and other areas, and for the work of the United Service for New Americans in receiving and integrating into American life of thousands of Jewish immigrants now entering the United States under the DP resettlement program.
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.
