THE LAST STRAW...CONT'D

As I Post this entry, the beleaguered UJC CEO, who appears to have planned to take August off, just convened a call with Federation Executives (with no federation lay leaders invited) to Brief them, and only them, on the continuing threat to the existence of the Georgian Jewish community. While JAFI has been there from the outset of the War, as has JDC, doing G-d's work, and ORT has, as well, UJC has slowly, ever so cautiously, convened a conference call to vet a proposal to establish a mailbox to aid the Jewish victims of this War with contributions to be divided amongst JAFI, JDC and ORT.

After yesterday's Post, I learned from an excellent source of this information, that ORT, like JAFI had contacted UJC-Israel's Director General seeking financial assitance through a mailbox to bring 50 young people to Israel, to house them in ORT schools and to offer trauma relief, one of ORT's areas of great expertise. The response: "UJC has no money. We're monitoring the situation." Our federations' national organization with its $37 million budget has no money but sure can monitor at a desperate time for our People.

So, now, there will be a Georgia Crisis Mailbox -- actually two as JAFI established its own for this purpose when UJC leaders still had their collective heads in the sand. The money is critically needed. Give generously NOW as you always do.

Rwexler