Over 100 Jewish leaders from more than 30 communities throughout the United States raised $22.1 million to kick-off the 1987 UJA/Federation Campaign, plus an additional $2.3 million in new money for Project Renewal, on the three-day 1987 United Jewish Appeal Prime Minister’s Mission.
“The money raised for the Regular Campaign represented a 21 percent increase by the same donors over the previous year and is the largest amount ever raised by any UJA Prime Minister’s Mission in history,” said UJA national chairman Martin Stein. He also presented a special award to UJA Board of Trustees chairman Alex Grass for his idea in conceiving of the trip and his assistance in making it so successful.
Prime Minister Shimon Peres, at a meeting with the Jewish leaders, thanked the Mission participants for their extraordinary achievements. “You should feel proud about your outstanding work in Project Renewal,” he said.
Peres said that Israel’s goals included the struggle for peace, sacrifices for a stable economy, the development of the Negev, the populating of the Galilee, and a continuation of Project Renewal. He asked the American Jewish community to help Israel meet the challenges of the future.
At a special memorial service at Yad Vashem, Labor MK Abba Eban called on American Jewry to send one percent of its people to help build the Jewish State.
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.
