The National Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds was under instructions today to prepare a manual of information on national and overseas agencies so that welfare groups can decide whether they deserve financial support.
A resolution adopted at the closing session of the council’s general assembly called on the council to prepare a similar manual on Palestinian organizations for 1937.
The three-day assembly, attended by 500 delegates of sixty-seven local agencies, ended on a note of increased cooperation between local agencies and other groups and the necessity of taking measures for social security.
As a result of the convention, declared Harry L. Lurie, executive director, there will be greater recognition of the need for cooperation with community chests, public agencies and other welfare bodies.
“The special problems of Jewish dependents and others in the Jewish group,” he said, “cannot be solved apart from the problem of economic and social insecurity, which is the concern of the entire nation.”
The need for social security was also emphasized by Dr. I.M. Rubinow, secretary of B’nai B’rith, in an address stressing the fact that with social security there will come an abatement of anti-Semitism. “A secure man does not hate his fellowman,” he asserted.
Other speakers were Virginia Frank and Mrs. Kohn of Chicago, speaking for the family welfare group of agencies; Edith Lauer, Baltimore, the child care group; Sigmund Feinblatt, Baltimore, care of the aged; Dr. Llwewlyn Sale, St. Louis, health; Bernard Semel, New York, Jewish education; Gilbert Harris, St. Louis, cultural and recreational; Dr. Joseph Schwartz, Brooklyn, federations.
A resolution was adopted calling for more effective organization of federations and welfare funds and greater cooperation between various organized agencies. The action was taken after Mr. Lurie had warned that unless existing organizations were adapted to meet new problems, the old organizations might have to be scrapped.
“Jewish welfare groups,” he said, “must align themselves with other groups concerned with social improvement in order that their joint programs and more active attack may be able to meet the critical needs of the day.”
Another resolution recommended that the council develop criteria to enable welfare funds and federations to determine whether or not national, overseas and regional agencies shall be included as beneficiaries. It was in this connection that the council was instructed to compile the manuals.
Dr. Rubinow expressed the opinion that much of the government social security legislation had their inspiration in the principles of social justice announced 2,000 years ago by Jewish prophets.
In the present day, he mentioned the services of Abraham Epstein in old-age security work, Michael Davis in health insurance, Elizabeth Brandeis, Justine Weiss and Prof. Herman Gray on unemployment insurance, as service to the nation of which American Jewry may justly be proud.
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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.
