UIA’s Queensland quandary
CLAIMS that a shortfall in donations could spell the demise of the United Israel Appeal (UIA) in Queensland were this week quashed by federal representatives of the organisation.
CLAIMS that a shortfall in donations could spell the demise of the United Israel Appeal (UIA) in Queensland were this week quashed by federal representatives of the organisation.
The threat of the axe falling on the Brisbane office was raised in an email sent out to supporters last Sunday by local branch president Dr John Skala, chairperson Lewis Sargossi and office manager Hadas Palevsky.
Noting that community members had dug deep for the floods and other natural disasters in recent months, the message stated that this year’s annual appeal, which ends on June 30, has raised the least amount since 1980.
“UIA has been in existence for 90 years and it would be most regrettable if the UIA Queensland office were to close, but this is what is likely to happen if we don’t get more support from our Queensland community,” the email said.
Insisting “we must have a good response for 2011,” the message continued, “We simply cannot continue to operate with insufficient funds so the federal UIA office will be left with no choice but to close down the Queensland office. This would end over 60 years of UIA and Zionist presence in the Jewish community of Queensland.”
However, UIA federal president Jack Smorgon denied that the organisation’s future was hanging in the balance.
In an email sent to The AJN from Israel, he insisted, “The decision to close the Queensland office is not their’s to make.
“We will not be closing the office in Queensland and will ensure that they return to normal fundraising results next year.”
Queensland Jewish Board of Deputies (JBD) president Jason Steinberg, meanwhile, said he was unaware of UIA’s fundraising woes, or the possible threat to close the office. However, he said he planned to investigate the matter further.
“The UIA office in Brisbane plays a really important role helping to administer events and raise funds,” he said. “I will look into it further to see if the JBD can assist in any way and make it a viable office.”
Along with other branches across Australia, UIA Queensland holds an annual campaign to raise funds for Israel. According to its pamphlet, the branch will transfer “over 90 per cent of [its] fundraising dollars
to immigration and absorption activities in Israel”.
CHANTAL ABITBOL
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