Jewish Charity Federation Adopts Record Budget of $5,080,000 for 1930

A budget of $5,080,000 has been voted by the board of trustees of the Federation for the Support of Jewish Philanthropic Societies for 1930 toward the maintenance of ninety-one constituent agencies, it was announced yesterday by Dudley D. Sicher, president of the Federation, following the board’s approval of recommendations by the distribution committee of the organization. The amount recommended to the societies is the largest ever voted in the history of the local Jewish charities, and is more than $150,000 greater than the amount in 1929.

The budget for the current year presents a more difficult problem than any budget since the period of readjustment following the war, according to a statement by Harry G. Friedman, chairman of the distribution committee. “Only with extreme difficulty was the deficit of 1929 covered. We are all aware of the business and financial uncertainties prevailing at the present time. As against these considerations which dictate caution, if not retrenchment, the committee has been obliged to weigh carefully the needs of the societies reflected in their financial results for 1929 and in their requests for 1930.”

Although the Federation budget this year has not encouraged new activities or expansion of existing activities, a considerable part of the increase reflects past building operations and expansion, as in the case of the Young Men’s Hebrew Association which will open its new building at Lexington Avenue and 92nd Street this year, and the Hebrew Orphan Asylum’s new building at Edenwald, for housing boys presenting special behavior problems.

Dr. Solomon Lowenstein, executive director of the Federation, in pointing out that the increased grants mean that the Business Men’s Council of the Federation will be compelled to ask the public for the largest sum in the history of the Jewish charities, stated that nevertheless the appropriations to a great many of the societies show a reduction this year.