United Hias Announces Formation of World Jewish Micration Council

The formation of “The World Jewish Migration Council,” with an initial membership of long established Jewish voluntary agencies of eight countries, which will concern itself with worldwide Jewish migration and resettlement, problems, was announced today by Ben Touster president of United Hias Service, American agency assisting migrants on a global scale, Mr. Touster addressed more than 1,000 delegates of fraternal, religious and labor organizations attending the annual meeting of the organization.

The gathering heard Mr. Touster explain that the WJMC is expected eventually to include every country having a substantial Jewish population. Its two-fold purpose is to exchange views on refugees, aliens, and migration and resettlement problems, and to make recommendations to governments and international bodies such as the United Nations.

United Hias, which renders migration and resettlement services throughout the free civilized world, was instrumental in the formation of the WJMC. The first WJMC meeting will be convened in Europe in the near future and it is expected that the following countries; which have already approved the Council’s statutes, will be represented: Argentina, Australia, Canada, France, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States.

In his annual message, Mr. Touster reviewed the Jewish immigration story of the ten-year period following the liberation of the concentration camps in Europe and the end of World War II. He said that during this “eventful decade” more than 150,000 Jewish immigrants were resettled in the United States, while Canada, with one-tenth the population of the U.S., received about 36,000; and Latin American countries an additional 33,000.

“Now, ten years after liberation, there still remain many thousands of Jews, known only as “aliens,” “DP’s,” “refugees” “escapes” who must be helped by United Hias Service to find permanent homes overseas.” He added that despite countless migration barriers, “the agency helped close to 3,000 persons during 1955 to emigrate from Europe and the Far East and resettle in countries of opportunity.” At present the United Hias offices in Europe and North Africa have more than 10,000 applications for immigration, Mr. Touster reported.

Samuel Goldstein, treasurer of United Hias Service for the past ten years, who resigned from his office because he is taking up temporary residence in Israel later this month, reported that the estimated needs of United Hias for its program in Europe, North Africa, Israel, the Western Hemisphere, Australia and elsewhere will be $3,762,385. This, he said, includes a contingency fund of $1,000,000 to be used “in case additional persons must be moved from North Africa.”