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American Jewish Contributions to Israel

The following table lists the total amount of money raised from Americans (mostly Jews) through the campaigns of the United Jewish Appeal (UJA), United Israel Appeal (UIA) and Jewish Federations (organized under the Council of Jewish Federations (CJF) umbrella) and the amount allocated to Israel. These totals include annual campaigns, special fundraising projects and other contributions. It also includes nearly $900 million raised between 1990 and 1997 (primarily 1990-92) in a special campaign for immigrants from the former Soviet Union and Ethiopia.  UJA, UIA and CJF merged in 1999 to form the United Jewish Communities (UJC). These figures represent the bulk of American Jewish philanthropy toward Israel, but not all of it. Millions of dollars are given directly to Israel for specific projects and organizations and through "Friends of" groups that help fund hospitals, universities and other Israeli institutions. In recent years, the amount of direct giving has increased. At the same time, as the table indicates, the percentage of money allocated by the umbrella fundraising organization to Israel has declined significantly and now amounts to only a little more than one-third of the total raised. This trend is largely a result of decisions by individual Jewish federations around the country to keep more of the money they raise to fund services and projects in their local communities.

($ in 1000s)

 
Total Raised

Total Allocated to Israel

Percentage Sent to Israel

1948
$200,700
$146,926
73%
1949
161,000
101,954
63%
1950
142,200
86,639
61%
1951
136,000
79,311
58%
1952
121,200
66,902
55%
1953
117,200
63,694
54%
1954
109,300
56,753
52%
1955
110,100
56,101
51%
1956
130,500
74,302
57%
1957
138,100
80,119
58%
1958
123,300
64,606
52%
1959
130,700
66,058
51%
1960
127,700
64,661
51%
1961
126,000
64,785
51%
1962
129,400
53,539
41%
1963
124,700
59,799
48%
1964
126,700
58,890
46%
1965
131,300
61,601
47%
1966
136,500
64,257
47%
1967
301,674
236,515
78%
1968
215,677
144,495
67%
1969
243,336
163,754
67%
1970
275,394
191,940
70%
1971
334,213
230,449
69%
1972
349,649
228,497
65%
1973
362,282
236,440
65%
1974
683,527
488,032
71%
1975
465,631
295,416
63%
1976
448,759
259,318
58%
1977
450,760
263,609
58%
1978
470,590
266,588
57%
1979
474,697
265,077
56%
1980
502,773
288,081
57%
1981
538,164
304,766
57%
1982
558,164
322,698
58%
1983
583,270
302,975
52%
1984
634,738
322,496
51%
1985
656,491
345,500
53%
1986
687,959
249,485
36%
1987
724,725
361,583
50%
1988
738,593
352,797
48%
1989
757,620
366,374
48%
1990
756,281
357,391
47%
1991
738,607
327,458
44%
1992
732,850
322,004
44%
1993
722,363
317,593
44%
1994
726,644
299,368
41%
1995
732,960
297,368
41%
1996
751,723
305,044
41%
1997
760,117
287,608
38%
1998
764,700
*305,000
38%
1999
795,500
*300,000
36%
2000
826,300
219,800
27%
2001
850,300
192,600
23%
2002
831,1001
199,000
24%
2003
831,300*2
194,500
23%
2004
859,500
199,700
23%
Total
$25,661,531
$11,982,216
47%

*Estimated

1Does not include $329.5 million for the Israel Emergency Campaign

2Does not include $32.9 million for the Israel Emergency Campaign

Source: United Jewish Communities