|
|
June 16, 2000/13 Sivan I 5760, Vol. 52, No.41
Federation prioritizes overseas needs
JULIE WIENER
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
NEW YORK - For the first time ever, American Jewish federations will soon have a say in how a portion of their overseas allocations will be spent. But whether this change represents a dramatic overhaul of the old communal system of providing support for Jews around the world or just a small step depends on whom you ask.
The Overseas Needs Assessment and Distribution Committee, a newly formed panel composed primarily of federation leaders, is recommending that each U.S. federation decide where 10 percent of its overseas funds go.
Each federation would select from a list of pre-approved projects of the federation system's long-standing overseas partners, the Jewish Agency for Israel and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee.
Last year, U.S. federations allocated $237.7 million for overseas needs, most of which went to helping needy Jews around the world, bringing new immigrants to Israel and helping absorb them in the Jewish state.
Saying that the needs are far greater than what federations are currently allocating, ONAD, as the committee is known, is also urging the federations to step up their overseas giving.
Federations that increase their overseas allocations from what they gave in 1998 could, under the plan, designate more than 10 percent into the choice projects, called "community" funding.
ONAD has included in those funding choices available to individual federations:
- Feeding elderly Jews in the former Soviet Union, for which $10 million is sought;
- A variety of programs for new immigrants in Israel, for which $27 million is sought;
- Funding Israeli shlichim, or emissaries, who do Israel programming in U.S. communities, for which $1.2 million is sought; and
- Partnership 2000, a project linking U.S. federations with Israeli regions for which $18 million is sought.
It is expected that most federations will make feeding the elderly Jews their top community funding priority.
The remaining 90 percent of federation-raised overseas money - an estimated $215.1 million - will continue to be funneled through a central system that will give approximately 75 percent to the Jewish Agency and 25 percent to the JDC.
In theory, the ONAD process is a significant departure from the past, when allocations decisions were determined entirely by the United Jewish Appeal, which last year merged with the Council of Jewish Federations to become the United Jewish Communities.
Before, the two recipient agencies - the Jewish Agency and the JDC - could spend their allocations at their discretion. Now, even though those two agencies will continue to get the lion's share of overseas funding, ONAD must review the projects that are funded.
|
