“If Not You, Then Who?” UJA: 1943 Campaign Supporting European Jewry Against Nazi Persecution

The story behind the organization that significantly aided the Jews of Europe and contributed to the establishment of the State of Israel.

The United Jewish Appeal (UJA) was a philanthropic Jewish umbrella organization established to raise funds for Jewish and Zionist causes worldwide. Founded on January 10, 1939, by William Rosenwald, Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver, and Rabbi Jonah B. Wise in response to the events of Kristallnacht, the organization united three major Jewish organizations to support Jews in Europe, the Land of Israel, and the United States.

The UJA was the first American Jewish organization to condemn the atrocities of Kristallnacht and the Nazi invasions of Austria, Czechoslovakia, and Poland. Between 1940 and 1943, in response to the dire situation of European Jews, the UJA launched the “If Not You, Then Who?” campaign. An unprecedented total of 4,500 Jewish communities across the country were recorded, the largest number ever to engage in any drive for Jewish rescue until then.

The campaign included donations to improve the plight of European Jews, facilitating the emigration of thousands of Jews from Germany and Austria, and funding economic, educational, and medical programs for Jewish communities in Eastern Europe. Throughout the war, the UJA also supported the 500,000 Jews living in Israel.

Following World War II, the UJA became the largest Jewish organization in the United States. With the establishment of Israel, the UJA focused on raising funds for the new country that was facing massive immigration waves and countless threats. The organization successfully raised funds during the Six-Day War and the Yom Kippur War. Additionally, financed rescue operations for Jews from Yemen, Morocco, and Ethiopia, and in 1989, helped more than 800,000 Jews from the Soviet Union immigrate to Israel and the United States.

In 1999, after 60 years of activity, the United Jewish Appeal merged with the Council of Jewish Federations, creating the United Jewish Communities. In 2009, it was renamed the Jewish Federations of North America.

The legacy of the United Jewish Appeal stands as a testament to the unity of Jewish communities in the United States. Its efforts not only provided critical support during times of crisis but also fostered a lasting sense of solidarity and commitment to the welfare of Jews worldwide.

United Jewish Appeal Posters