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From: slerner@sesame.UUCP (Simcha-Yitzchak Lerner)
Newsgroups: net.religion.jewish
Subject: Re: Message to non-ultraorthodox Jews re: fundraising
Message-ID: <310@sesame.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 29-Aug-85 19:50:19 EDT
Article-I.D.: sesame.310
Posted: Thu Aug 29 19:50:19 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 1-Sep-85 12:28:08 EDT
References: <417@mhuxm.UUCP>
Organization: Lotus Development Corp
Lines: 37


> 3)  That you give as much as you can possibly afford to these latter
> charities, and especially the United Jewish Appeal type of charity
> to promote unity and identification among all Jews. 

Having been involved in shul finances in many communities over the years,
I must take exception to the above statement.  My contacts with UJA/JCC/etc
has been quite uniform - they will give large sums to conservative/reform
projects and organizations, but they will either give nothing, or a token 
amount (<=$50) to anything that smells of orthodoxy, let alone chassidus!

I do NOT call that type of behavious "promoting unity among all Jews".
Given that these groups raise the funds in the name of helping ALL
jewish organizations in their area, and that they "only act as a central
clearinghouse for the community", their behaviour is all the more heinous.

In regards to the rest of the previous article, which basically said
not to give to orthodox groups because they don't recognize non-orthodox
conversions:  It is more important to look at what the group is going to
do with the money you give.  Are they going to encourage Jews to remain
"jewish" and not inter-marry/convert or are they going to build a 
swimming pool??  Are they going to help war orphans or are they going
to spend it on inter-faith conferences?  These issues are much more
important than those raised in the previous article when you plan
where your charity dollars are to go.


-- 
Opinions expressed are public domain, and do not belong to Lotus
Development Corp.
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Simcha-Yitzchak Lerner

              {genrad|ihnp4|ima}!wjh12!talcott!sesame!slerner
                      {cbosgd|harvard}!talcott!sesame!slerner
                                slerner%sesame@harvard.ARPA