UJA Rabbinical Advisory Council Announces Second Yom Kippur

In an emergency meeting this week, the Rabbinical Advisory Council of the United Jewish Appeal adopted a resolution declaring Nov. 4 “Yom Kippur Sheni,” a second Yom Kippur. This day, the 10th of Chesvan in the Hebrew calendar, is 30 days after the start of the Yom Kippur War in Israel. The day will be highlighted by special prayers from the Yom Kippur Liturgy, the blowing of the shofar and Yizkor for those in Israel who have fallen in recent weeks.

The resolution, announced by Rabbi Joseph Ehrenkranz of Stamford, Conn., chairman of the Rabbinical Advisory Council, also calls for an extra contribution to be made by every member of the Jewish community, equal to or greater than the cost of the meals normally eaten on that day. These funds are to be contributed to the Israel Emergency Fund of the UJA.

At the same time, the Young Leadership Cabinet of the UJA has mounted an intensive and innovative campaign in response to the current humanitarian crisis facing the people of Israel, Dr. Allen Pollack, Cabinet chairman, announced today. Every member of the YLC, consisting of community leaders between the ages of 25 and 40, has already converted his 1973 pledge into cash, made a 1974 pledge, and in many cases, already paid it. Many Cabinet members have taken out second mortgages on their homes in order to be able to make greatly increased gifts.

Dr. Pollack described the division’s 1974 campaign as being “a complete and instant mobilization of all our resources to provide maximum support for the people of Israel in their crisis of human needs. To this end, we began our actual campaign immediately after the Yom Kippur War began and cancelled all our regularly scheduled missions to Israel, conferences and retreats; they will be unnecessary this year.”

The success so far of the Young Leadership Campaign has been unprecedented in the history of the division. One group of contributors who for 1973 gave a total of $1 million have made 1974 gifts totaling $2.75 million, and it is expected that this pattern of dramatic increases will be followed throughout the entire campaign.

The National Jewish Welfare Board (JWB) has decided to invest up to $200,000 from its Endowment Funds in Israel Bonds to help Israel in its current emergency, it was announced by Solomon Litt, JWB honorary president and chairman of its Endowment Fund, at the fall meeting of the JWB Board of Directors in New York City. JWB also commended the Administration “for its efforts toward stopping a tragic slaughter that threatened to become unbearably costly in lives and resources for both sides.”