The United Jewish Appeal Federation's 1998 fundraising campaign is on a record pace and might collect more than $759 million, the organization reports. The figure would represent a 5 percent increase over last year's effort.

The percentage increase translates into $30 million to $40 million in additional donations compared to 1997's efforts. The UJA reports an average 6.8 percent increase in giving per donor so far in the campaign, which is nearly 89 percent complete.

While there has been controversy over recent legislative efforts in Israel regarding religious diversity, UJA Federation leaders say this level of contributions shows American contributors realize most of the projects benefiting from the campaign actually support and promote Jewish religious diversity, especially in Israel.