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Community Currents
Southwestern Jewish Press, February 8, 1952,  page 2

By Albert Hutler, Executive Director, United Jewish Fund

Last Sunday night my wife took me on a "Busman's Holiday" to do some collecting for the March of Dimes at the local theatres. The response to the collection in the theatres is certainly good, and as you watch the boys in uniform shell out their change and bills you realize most of us believe in our responsibility to our fellow man.

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There is a great deal of discussion wherever Jewish groups meet about over-organization; yet when they begin thinking about the matter they agree that the real problem is not over-organization but making the best coordinate use of the organizations, programs and facilities we have.  Sam Tarshis of Seattle, one of the Pacific Coast's fine community leaders, states it concisely and clearly in his column in the Seattle Anglo-Jewish paper.  "Whether all like it or not, the Jewish community has been propelled willy-nilly into the forefront of philanthropy, social planning, human relations and myriad other activities and interests—all urgent and necessary because of the changing world in which we live. In the past two decades, we have grown tremendously in our concept of Jewish responsibilities. We have created institutions for the aged, children, handicapped; the social service and community relations agencies, and our concern with Jewish education is now flowering in all cities of America.  Our task now is to harness the partisan loyalties of individual Jews who are proud of their respective agencies and organizations. We need and want these agencies, granted; but linking them into a coordinated effort and program intended to serve the Entire Jewish community is the task ahead of us in Seattle for the next two or three years and perhaps longer.

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More than twice the general average of money spent for religious and charitable purpose is spent by Jews in the United States for these purposes according to data published by the Russel Sage Foundation. The average American family spends about 2 percent of its income, or approximately $97 per year for all religious and charitable purposes.  The average Jewish American family spends from $200 to $250 a year for these same purposes with more than 40 percent going overseas. If you want to get a concrete idea of the value of a $250 contribution compare it with the fact that the average family spends $111 yearly for tobacco; $120 for the Marshall Plan; $218 for alcoholic beverages and $376 for national defense.

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Bonds for Israel are purchaseable at the Fund Office. The UJF-BIG committee will continue to encourage everyone to purchase Israel Bonds. Dr. A.P. Nasatir has been appointed chairman.

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All organizations in San Diego have been alerted in the Civic Unity Council and Community Relations Council to the dangers of the "America Plus" movement and the initiative it wishes to place on the ballot in the November election.  The "Freedom of Choice" Amendment proposed by this organization would do away completely with civil liberties in the State of California.