The needs of small Jewish communities throughout the country were discussed here at a three-day conference of a selected group of executives of Jewish Federations in communities with 300 to 1,000 Jewish families. The conference was co-sponsored by the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds and the National Jewish Welfare Board.
The purpose of the conference was to examine ways of making small Jewish communities more viable, less isolated and to fulfill their potential role in American Jewish life. The best experience in such communities was pooled on campaigning, administration, welfare services, women’s divisions, leadership development, relationships with United Funds, and community relations. Devices for improving campaigning in small communities to maintain services at a high level and to meet responsibilities for national and over seas needs were stressed. All of the factors that lead to effective campaigning–early and sound planning, a top leadership that is properly motivated and informed on needs that must be met, a good program of year-round interpretation–are equally applicable to small communities and large ones, the executives agreed.
Small Jewish communities located near larger cities with well developed Jewish communal agencies frequently obtain their use, it was reported at the parley. A widely used form of cooperation is the community support agreement between small communities and regional Jewish homes for the aged. On a purchase basis, caseworkers from a family and children’s service agency in a larger city are used part-time; Jewish education facilities and the Jewish center, when a small city doesn’t have one, are utilized in nearby larger communities.
Mest small communities have not yet developed formal youth leadership training programs that have proven so successful in many larger cities across the country. Recommendations were made at the conference for the development of such leadership as well as for attracting more women to the women’s divisions of the local fund-raising community campaign.
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.
