THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS Friday, December 14, 1984
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Ethiopia's poverty and
a ten-year drought
have contributed to the
famine.
than $100,000 to a campaign to fi-
nance a tent city for 6,000 famine ref-
ugees.
The significance of Israel," Bayer
said, is that supplies can get to
Ethiopia in as little as three days.
Shipments from the United States
take 34 days by boat."
Most Jewish efforts on behalf of
Ethiopie are being directed through
the American Jewish Joint Distribu-
tion Committee. The JDC has col-
lected cash and pledges for general re-
lief totaling $500,000 since Oct. 31.
The JDC is working with Catholic Re-
lief Services and the Protestant
Church World Service as part of the
Interfaith Hunger Appeal. The Jewish
Welfare Federation of Detroit is aiding
the JDC effort by forwarding checks
made out to the JDC that are marked
for Ethiopian relief.
Other Jewish groups trying to aid
in Ethiopian relief include B'nai B'rith
International, and the .Union of
American Hebrew Congregations (Re-
form), which has announced plans to
raise $250,000 to fund a refugee camp.
JDC spokesman Nathan Fried-
man expressed reservations about
supportig individual relief efforts. In
terms of an individual, people have to
contribute money based on their per-
sonal knowledge of that person, his
probity and sincerity. There are a lot of
people out there collecting money, and
I'm sure they are all sincere. But . . ."
Detroiter Negusse Paulos added that
"new agencies are just not relevant at
this moment."
Speaking of Lessanework, Paulos
said, "What he could do is organize the
people here . . a. -committee to hand
over funds and material to one of the
existing organizations."
Meanwhile, Lessanework is wait-
ing for his charitable organization ap-
plication to be processed by the state of
Michigan. Highly involved in the food
service industry in Detroit, he wants
to do something tangible to end the
suffering of thousands in his native
land.
Sending aid
The accompanying story men-
tions the numerous national
organizations which have joined
in the famine relief effort in
Ethiopia and other parts of Africa.
The bulk of Jewish funding
for general relief for Ethiopia is
being sent through the American
Jewish Joint Distribution Com-
mittee, Room 1914, Dept. M, 60
East 42nd Street, New York
10165. Checks should be made out
to the JDC and marked "Ethiopian
relief."
Checks made out to the JDC
can also be mailed to the Jewish
Welfare Federation of Detroit, 163
Madison, Detroit 48226. Federa-
tion will forward the checks to
JDC.
The American Association for
Ethiopian Jewry and its Canadian
counterpart have for years been
demanding stronger efforts by Is-
rael and American Jewish organ-
izations on behalf of the Ethiopian
Jews. The AAEJ has been con-
ducting rescue efforts to aid indi-
viduals and small groups of Ethio-
pian Jews to leave Ethiopia. Per-
sons wishing to contribute to the
AAEJ can write the organization
at 2789 Oak Street, Highland
Park, IL 60035.
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