CONTINUITY ... FROM' JOINT' TO 'JEFF'

The JDC: Rescue in Germany, 1945

Jewish renewal in the former
Soviet Union, 1994.

E

ighty years ago, the American Jewish
Joint Distribution Committee began a
mission of hope and heart that is
unrivaled among humanitarian agencies
throughout the world. Its task -- rescue and
relief of our suffering people -- continues to be
the JDC's most critical function.

Carrying out that task has brought JDC relief
workers, teachers and specialists to more than
70 countries and has earned affection for "the
Joint" of hundreds of thousands of people

— Jew and Gentile alike — from Morocco
to Moscow, from Sarajevo to the Sudan.

But the JDC also plays an increasing role in
rebuilding and invigorating Jewish communi-
ties left barely alive after the Holocaust and
Communist oppression. Libraries, public
seders, camp and study programs help
ensure the future of these Jewish communi-
ties -- even while model JDC social service
programs promise a brighter tomorrow for
our people in Israel.

American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee - 80

H

ere in Detroit, the issue of continuity
has taken on a different kind of
urgency. As the Agency for Jewish
Education celebrates 75 years since its founding
as the United Hebrew Schools, we see increas-
ing emphasis on innovative programs for young
people and their families.

The goal: to create an environment of respect
for our legacy of Jewish learning -- and sheer
joy in the expressions of Jewish life.

Jewish Experiences For Families (JEFF) is one
of those AJE programs that is combining the
ideas and efforts of synagogues, educators and
parents to begin a new era in Jewish education.

As a resource to all Jewish schools in the
community, as a provider of teacher training
and curriculum development, the AJE hopes to
answer the question "Will my grandchildren be
Jewish?" with a resounding YES!

Agency for Jewish Education - 75

United Hebrew Schools, Philadelphia/Byron Branch, Class of 1927