A half million Jews in nine countries either in the Soviet orbit or under Arab League influence–but not including Russia or Rumania–want to go to Israel, Shlomo Shragai, head of the Jewish Agency’s immigration department, reported today. He said the half million had members of their immediate families or relatives in Israel. Their inability to immigrate was a grave humanitarian problem, he added.
He reported that of the 900,000 persons who had come to Israel since establishment of the Jewish State, 20,000 were non-Jews, including persons with deep religious convictions who chose to throw in their lot with Israel. The non-Jews, he added, included clergymen, missionaries and experts in many fields.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
