ABSTRACT
The collective conscience of the American Jewish community has been increasingly troubled by a growing awareness of the needs of the domestic Jewish poor, and by its own inability to deal more effectively with this problem. For purposes of detailed planning of services to a particular Jewish poor population, general estimates as to the total number of Jewish poor in a metropolitan area should be supplemented whenever possible by estimates as to the number in a particular neighborhood or community area. Such statistical data are essential to the Federation when it embarks upon the planning phase of services to an indigent Jewish population. An initial source of case findings is in the caseload of Federation agencies. Hopefully, data on the financial situation of agency clients, particularly those at the poverty level, will be available. Where the program is focused on a relatively small service or catchment area, it would be desirable to conduct a house-by-house census of indigent Jews.
