|
|
April 27, 2001/Iyar 4, 5761, Vol. 53, No.30
BBYO in financial limbo as B'nai B'rith cuts corners
JULIE WIENER
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
NEW YORK - One of American Jewry's oldest - and most financially beleaguered - institutions is expected to slash funding for a program repeatedly described as its "jewel in the crown."
B'nai B'rith, which has seen its membership and financial resources plummet in recent years, may stop subsidizing regional programming of its youth group, B'nai B'rith Youth Organization.
No final decisions will be made until a May 18 board meeting of B'nai B'rith.
With an estimated 20,000 members, BBYO is one of the largest Jewish youth groups in the United States.
Its regions currently receive approximately $2 million from B'nai B'rith.
Gary Saltzman, chairman of B'nai B'rith's national youth commission, sent an e-mail to regional BBYO leaders last month, warning them that they may lose all B'nai B'rith funding by July 1.
The memo "said that we should anticipate no money coming to any of the regions effective July 1 and should plan for it," said Robert Groman, chairman of BBYO's Nassau/Suffolk region, in suburban New York.
Although Saltzman's memo was not made available to JTA, several sources said it urged regional leaders to explore other sources of funding, such as Jewish federations, foundations and local B'nai B'rith chapters.
BBYO's 39 regions vary considerably in their dependence on B'nai B'rith. Some have received most of their budgets from the national office. Others already supplement their B'nai B'rith allocations with money from their local federations.
The Mountain Region, with chapters in Phoenix, Tucson, Las Vegas and Salt Lake City, "is doing everything in its power to become self-supporting," said Jeffrey Frankel, director of the region.
The Mountain Region office is looking into becoming a constituent agency of the federations in the region, Frankel said. The regional office is also corresponding with the B'nai B'rith chapters of the region about the possibility of being included in their annual budgets.
For additional financial support, the region started the Mountain Region Alumni Network in February. Goals of the network are to provide general support for BBYO and plan alumni reunions, Frankel said.
The network has scheduled the first reunion, for those in the BBYO Mountain Region from 1985-1995, for March 2002 in the Valley. Call 480-443-2741.
It is not clear whether all BBYO regions will be able to cultivate new sources of support, or whether some will go belly up.
Assistant Editor Leisah Namm contributed to this article.
|
