THE JEWISH NEWS

X II MI

roit
'ration

and private. Various agencies in the community
gave help to 1,092 Jewish aged individuals, and
of this number, 892 were living outside of an
institution.
At best, the Home for Aged can accommodate
125 persons, and is filled to capacity. The care
of the aged chronic ill is one of the problems
which will have to be dealt with in greater
measure. More than two-thirds of all the resi-
dents at the Home for Aged are chronic sick
persons. Additional facilities are indicated and
the community is being called upon to help
solve the problem.

Child Care Problems

The first year of the Jewish Children's
Bureau, created through the consolidation of the
Jewish Children's Home and the Jewish Child
Placement Bureau, was devoted to the activity
attendant to a merger of two separate organiza-
tions. The next year of the bureau's existence
has been devoted to improving the quality,
of the program and meeting war-time nee is.
Added to the normal problems have been the
severe effect of the war as reflected in increas-
ed operating costs, staff turnover, and, especi-
ally, shortage of foster homes.
The downward trend in the number of child-
ren in need of agency care is continuing. The
number of days' care over a ten-year-period
has decreased from 48,000 in 1933, to 30,000 in
1942. The effect of expanding governmental
programs of assistance and improved economic
condtions is reflected in this downward trend.
The Joint Committee on Child Care of Fed-
eration - reports that the year 1942 was charact-
erized by the lowest volume of applications for
placement since 1933. Altogether eighty-nine
children came to the attention of the Joint Com-
mittee with requests for placement. A total of
one hundred ten children are now under the
care of the Jewish Children's Bureau.

Jewish Education

Jewish education continues to have the com-
munity's attention, through the United Hebrew
Schools and other educational agencies. A
group of educators and Federation executives
from other communities met here, on Detroit's
invitation, to explore the possibilities for the
development of better and more progressive
forms of 'Jewish education. A problem which
received special attention is that of reaching
the Jewish children in the community who are
not now receiving any formal Jewish education.
The group of Federation executives and Jew-
ish educators reaffirmed the belief that as a
community we have an interest in seeing to it
that the largest number of individuals—young
and old—are afforded an opportunity to get the
benefit of a maximum program of Jewish edu-
cation through formal schools, through infor-
mal means, through our Jewish Community
Center, through extension and home study pro-
grams. They felt that there is room for every,
element of Jewish education in the community,
so long as it has a positive attitude to Jewish
life.
Generally, schools and programs—for young
and adult—which have as their base the pro-
motion of Jewish values, whether the language
of instruction is Yiddish, Hebrew, or English,
and informal programs of Jewish education, all
belong within the scope of a communal plan
of Jewish education. In an effort to implement
this thinking, the group plans to have further
conferences and, of course, Detroit will partici-
pate in the conference and will help in formu-
lating plans and programs.

The Camping Situation

In previous reports we have described the
development of the Jewish Camping Associa-
tion as an effort to afford joint planning in this
area. The war has proven the wisdom of this
venture.
Fresh Air Camp has lost, for the duration,
the services of its director. It was natural under
such circumstances, to turn to another member
of the Camping Association—the Jewish Com-
munity Center—our agency of special compet-
ence in Group Work, for assistance in planning
next year's camp program and in providing
supervision on a year round basis. This sharing
• of resources is an illustration of the benefits to
be derived from coordination and common plan-
ning.

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Services for Refugees

In the past year there has been a • readjust-

ment in the services for refugees, provided by
the Resettlement Service. The decline in im-
migration since our entry into the war has
materially reduced the number of refugees
coming to Detroit. The active labor market has
made it possible for many refugees to obtain
jobs and to become self-supporting. With the
decrease in the relief problem, we have placed
greater emphasis on accelerating the social ad-
justment of the refugees in our community and
in helping them to take their proper place as
citizens and participants in our community life.
We may be justly proud of the share we have
had in making it possible for these victims of
Hitler to build a new life for themselves and
their children in our midst.
It is heartening to note the appreciation of
those whom we have helped, manifesting itself
in so many ways. Those who are now in an im-
proved financial position have been happy to re-
pay, at least in part, some of the funds advanc-
ed to them in their trying days of adjustment.
The refugee problem is by no means ended,
and we must be ready to asume again our res-
ponsibility in one form or another, when the
call for help comes. In the refugee field, the
community policy of integrating related ser-
vices was extended through the assumption of
the planning, supervisory and administrative
responsibilities by the executive and staff of
the Jewish Social Service Bureau. The same
type of relationship has been worked out in
cooperation with the Jewish Social Service
Bureau in the care of the aged, through the
Old Age Bureau, in child care, through the
Joint Committee on Child Care, and in the care
of transients, through the House of Shelter.

Medical Problems

The movement for the establishment of a
general hospital under Jewish auspices marked
time because of war conditions. An effort to
secure construction priorities for the conversion
of the Jewish Children's Home building into the,
first unit of a larger hospital, additions to which
might be made after the war, met with an
adverse ruling by Federal authorities.
The officials advised that they might give
consideration to a remodeling program on a
modest scale requiring a minimum of critical
materials, for the provision of facilities for
persons other than the 'acute ill. Care for con-
valescents, along with facilities for the chronic
sick, was advanced as a proper concern at this
time.
The North End Clinic, as sponsors of this
proposal, invited Dr. J. J. Golub, authority on
hospital planning, to revise original hospital
plans for submission to the War Production
Board. The Jewish Welfare Federation, which'
had previously agreed to finance the operating
deficit of a general hospital, has reaffirmed its
position with reference to the substitute plan.

Junior Service Group

Participation of youth in communal activities
was seriously affected by the fact that so many
of the young men were of combatant age and
left their peace-time posts for military services.
Nevertheless, the Junior Service Group which
mobilizes the forces of youth for Jewish com-
munity purposes, carried on effectively and
held the lines of organization, despite all diffi-
culties.

Our Armed Forces

Page Nine -,

gathered in Detroit, is coordinated, through a
Committee on Public RelatiOns, with similair
material from the rest of the country, so that
appropriate public mention may be given
locally and nationally on the role of the Jew
on the fighting fronts.

Campaign Results

In the spring of 1942, the Allied Jewish Cam-
paign raised $899,989.41. As of March 5, 1943,
we have collected $788,347.25, or 88.9 per cent
and 90 per cent of our appropriations to over-
seas, national and. local causes, have been paid
out to date.
In addition, the 1941 Allied Jewish Campaign,
which raised $839,665.41, has disbursed its ob-
ligations in full, having paid off all benefici-
aries.

Report on Audit

In keeping with good business practice and
with the procedure employed by responsible
social agencies, the accounts of the Jewish
Welfare Federation and its constituent agencies
are examined periodically through an inde-
pendent audit. The members of the Board of
Federation and of its individual constituent
agencies have presented to them for their con-
sideration, the audited financial statements, and
these statements are available at the office of
the Federation to any member of the com-
munity.
In addition to the figures as presented in the
financial statement, the treasurer and staff of the
Federation are prepared to give detailed ex-
planation regarding any of the appropriations,
allotments or other fiscal transactions.
We respectfully invite questions as to further
'details on program and financial operations,
duly audited by Isenberg, Purdy & Donovan,
Certified Accountants. Federation is your ser-
vant and is ready to inform you of all details
regarding its trusteeship in your behalf.

A Story of Service

For almost two decades now, in peace and in
war, in depression and prosperity, Federation
has spoken for the unfortunates in our midst
and beyond, and for the institutions that min-
ister to their needs, as well as to the require-
ments of the other constructive causes every-
where which command our support. During
these years, Federation has enlisted the active
support of the finest names and ablest talents
in the community in behalf of the basic Jewish
charities and of the other essential communal
services here and abroad.
Child care, medical aid, family service, com-
munity center, Jewish education, care of the
aged, fresh air program, vocational assistance,
cultural work, protective services, amelioration,
rehabilitation, rescue, security—every year rep-
resentatives of these services in Detroit and the
world over place their claims before our budget
committees, a thrilling story of new hope and •
new life for hundreds of thousands, even mil-
lions.

Extent of Needs

The agencies tell us how much they have
done with the money the contributing public
gave Federation and. Federation, in turn, gave
the agencies during the year. And they ask for
funds to carry on the coming year's work. We
scrutinize each item carefully; but for lack of
funds we never have allowed them as much
as they actually needed.
Today, more and more of the task is ours.
Many great communities all over the world no
longer can give as much help as they formerly
were -able to furnish. It is a difficult undertak-
ing, but there is no other honest, self-respect-
ing way open to us than to face it.

A new service growing out of war-time con-
ditions is being provided for the community by,
the local Army and Navy Committee of the
Jewish Welfare Board, which operates in co-
operation with the Jewish Community Center
as the local arm of the U.S.O. In addition to its
regular program, the Center serves as head-
quarters for the Army and Navy Committee
and has become a rendezvous for Jewish young
men and others who are wearing the uniform
of the United Nations, as well as for large
numbers of war workers, recently arrived in
the city.
The local representatives of some 35 national
Jewish organizations and hundreds of others,
groups and individuals, have expressed their
interest in the well-being of the service men.

The United Jewish Appeal has been described
as the major link between the Jews of America
and those in other parts of the world who are
in need of the comradeship, the sympathy and
the concrete assistance which American Jews
can provide. The local Federation is a double
link, connecting our local communal machinery
both with 'out own local resources and with the
world at large.

The War Record

Continuing Responsibilities

In keeping with the American tradition to
cherish the record of our country's heroes,
American Jews have had the responsibility of
recording the devotion of American soldiers,
sailors and marines of the Jewish faith to their
native or adopted land.
The national Jewish Welfare Board establish-
ed a War Records Bureau for this purpose. In
Detroit, the Jewish Welfare Board Army and
Navy Committee, using the technical facilities
of the Jewish Welfare Federation, is Maintain-
ing a roster of Detroit Jews in the armed forces.
Already, there is a record of 4,300 such names.
A current record is being kept of all honors,
citations and achievements of Jews in the mil-
itary service. A ll of this valuable material

Community Links

In the year ahead, it will continue to be our
responsibility to bring to the community—and
to the individuals who constitute it—the story
of the functions, purposes and needs of the
social welfare institutions and the other services
and causes which the. community maintains.
The discontinuance of the Allied Jewish Cam-
paign as a separate drive and the absorption of
our campaign machinery by the War Chest
makes this program of education all the more
necessary.
We hope that through messages such as this
report, and through other means of informa-
tion and communication, there will result a
strengthening of those loyalties which are so
vital to the well-being of the community and its
agencies.

