The Denver Jewish news., 1924-10-09

able ana welfare institutions. l'ur-
ing last year si2,250,0OO was raised
and spent for the purpose of fnanc-
ing Jewish institutions of national
character. 81 100000 were raised and
spent for American Jewish relief and
reconstruction work in various coun-
tries of the world.
1t is high record and one which
the American Jewish community can
be justly proud of. The period of
emergency relief work abroad is draw
ing to an end. American Jewry has,
in the years of emergency, learned to
give. 1t has awakened not only to the
problems which are confronting
Jewry as whole, but also to its own
problems which have been waiting for
attention for many years. 1t has been
felt that it would be q great pity
were this spirit which was built up
with such tremendous effort and pain
to be permitted to cool off gradually.
1t has been the opinion of many re-
sponsible Jewish leaders that, once
started on the road of organization,
this effort should be continued for bet-
ter and broader purposes.
Expression to this thought was
given at the recent conference of So
cial Workers at Toronto. The plan
was formulated that Jewish Ma
tional Community Chest be organized
in the United States. Community
Chests as unifying instrument Of
great efficiency in dealing with the
support and expansion of the neces-
sary social agencies has proven in
many cases to be a great success.
A number of American cities have
Community Chests which embrace all
relief and welfare organizations with
out distinction of religion. Protest
ants, Catholics and Jews contribute
freely and largely to the Chests dur
ing one annual campaign. Experience
has shown that while the Separate or
ganizations had hard struggle to Sc
cure finances it was much easier to
obtain the necessary funds when one
common appeal was issued. The aver
age citizen has to be coaxed to give !;
he gives in happier spirit wwhen he
is approached on behalf of the entire
community. The Community Chest
system has another advantage. 1t
gives to both the professional and vol
untary social workers feeling of Sc
curity and with relief from immediate
financial worries, ample time to con-
slider and to produce necessary i'm
provements in the methods and ex-
pansion Of the work.
However, the Community Chest sys-
TEN with all Of its advantages has one
great drawback with regard to the
Jewish Agencies participating in it.
A General Community Chest, consist
ing of all denominations, cannot in
clude in its budget educational insti-
tutions which are classed as purely
sectional activities. Hence, Jewish
educational institutions which have as
their only source of income the appeal
to the peculiarly Jewish sentiment, find
themselves in predicament, as soon
as the local Jewish Federation enters
the Community Chest. The average
citizen, once impressed by the wonders
of the appeal, is not is not willing to
lend careful ear to another appeal
with a specific Jewish purpose. This
is why many federation members Sc
riously consider the question of wheth.
er the system of local Community
Chests is expedient.
The Jewish communities all over
the land are constantly being appeal.
ed to by many representatives Of the
various national organizations which
are in need of huge funds. Very otter
really worthy cause does not get the
attention it deserves owing to thi.
variety of approach and the confusion
prevailing. The, feeling of RESPONSE
bility exists; the efficient way Of rea
lizing this feeling is yet to be found
The proposed Jewish National Com
munity Chest with proper men at tn,
head of it would put an end to this sit
uation. On one hand it would rep
resent more weighty appeal t,
American Jewry and on the othel
hand it would dispell the haze con
cerhing the institutions really worth!
of support.
1t is clear that this proposed Jew
ish National Community Chest woul,
have to direct its main efforts toward
the solution of The burning problem
in America; the Jewish educstiona
problem. 1t would have first of al