Fellowship of Christians and Jews Loses Members, Trims Plans

April 15, 2007

Author: MICHELE DARGAN

Source: Palm Beach Daily News

http://www.palmbeachdailynews.com/news/content/news/fellowship0415.html

A decline in membership, sparse attendance at programs and a need for more financial support has led The Palm Beach Fellowship of Christians and Jews to downsize its programming and focus on young people.

The once-flourishing organization, credited with helping to remove the anti-Semitic label from the island, has dropped from 800 members at the height of its popularity to about 620 today.

"People are dying," Chairman Jack Thompson said. "We're a graying population and we have not attracted young Jewish and Christian families as much as we would have liked. People haven't been lining up to get in."

Board members said some members were unhappy when the group included Islam in two-day conferences held in 2005 and 2006.