Memorandum from Maynard Wishner and Martin Kraar (Los Angeles, Calif.) to Federation Presidents, February 4, 1994, regarding earthquake relief

DATE: February 4, 1994 TO: Federation Presidents Federation Executives CJF Board of Delegates FROM: Maynard I. Wishner, President Martin S. Kraar, Executive Vice President RE: LOS ANGELES EARTHQUAKE RELIEF We are all aware of the catastrophic damage caused by the Los Angeles earthquake and that the San Fernando Valley and the Santa Monica area - the two locations hardest hit - are home to more than 250,000 Jews and innumerable Jewish institutions. According to John Fishel, Executive Vice President of the Jewish Federation Council of Greater Los Angeles, the impact in the Jewish community is expected to be in the $20 million range, not including $40 million in damages to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Under the direction of President Terry Bell and Fishel, the Los Angeles Federation has undertaken an extraordinary effort to provide relief to both the Jewish and general communities. Once again, as in the case of Miami following Hurricane Andrew and the Midwest during the great floods, CJF and the Federations are being called on to provide financial assistance on a continental basis. As you know, CJF immediately established the CJF Earthquake Emergency Fund with a goal of $5 million. The Fund has already been the beneficiary of a $1 million gift from the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation of Baltimore, as well as several commitments and inquiries from other foundations. The remaining $4 million is projected to be provided by Federations. As in the case of Miami, this is on a "best effort" basis from funds raised from local mailboxes, local foundations and/or Federation endowment or emergency funds. If you have not already done so, we urge you to establish a mailbox in your community immediately so that it may begin to receive contributions. The money raised should be forwarded to the CJF Earthquake Emergency Fund for transmission to Los Angeles. CJF has already provided each Federation with a camera-ready ad for local newspaper(s) in support of these efforts (copy attached) and has sent a Public Service Announcement to all-news stations in 29 major radio markets. As requested by Federations, a guideline schedule of contributions has been prepared that should enable our system to raise the necessary $4 million. The amount is in proportion to what was requested m the case of Miami, but is larger given the tremendous damage and needs caused by this earthquake, the most costly natural disaster in U.S. history. As you know, there is a CJF committee and staff process which works with Los Angeles arid determines how to best utilize these funds and then monitors the expenditures. CJF by policy does not charge administrative expense or overhead to this fund ? 100 percent of the dollars are used to help the earthquake victims. The schedule is as follows: Communities over 100,000 Other large communities Large intermediate communities Intermediate communities Small communities Volunteer-directed communities $200,000-$400,000 $100,000-$200,000 $50,000-$100,000 $25,000-$50,000 $10,000-$25,000 $2,500 As Terry Bell told the CJF Board of Delegates in its meeting on February 1, "There are large numbers of people who desperately need heip on a very personal level." John Fishel apprised the Board of Delegates of 12 deaths in the Jewish community, hundreds of injuries, 22,000 homes destroyed or made unsafe in the area, with at least 5,000 Jews losing their homes. We are enclosing for your use a video that should be helpful in presenting the needs to your Federation Board, endowment committee and foundations. The video includes footage from Los Angeles dramatically showing damage to Jewish institutions and agencies, a message from John Fishel on the needs of the Jewish community in Los Angeles, and a report from Hal Horwitz, Chair of the CJF Disaster Relief Subcommittee, on CJF's assistance to the Los Angeles Federation in its relief efforts. The Federation system has been called on time and again in the past few years to respond to historic events ? whether man-made or from natural causes. Once again the request has gone out to come to the assistance of our people in need. We are confident Federations and their communities will respond quickly and with generosity. On behalf of the Jewish Federation Council of Greater Los Angeles and for the people who will benefit from our efforts, we thank you for your concern and support. 94:300:09 MSK:lb ENC: Advertisement Video 2 In Los Angeles, More Than Freeways Was Split Apart In Los Angeles, a great deal more than freeways was shattered. The pattern of people's lives was disrupted, their homes, belongings and jobs were destroyed, and In some cases, life Itself came to an end. The large Jewish community in the affected areas was particularly hard hit. . The Council of Jewish Federations has established the CJF Earthquake Emergency Fund to work with the Jewish Federation Council of Greater Los Angeles to bring emergency assistance to those in need and to help rebuild Jewish institutions. Your local Federation has also established an Earthquake Fund and will forward its proceeds to the CJF Fund for transmission to Los Angeles. You may contribute directly to your local Fund: or to the CJF Earthquake Emergency Fund It may take years to rebuild the freeways. With your help, the process of rebuilding Jewish lives will go forward today.