A budget of $6,174,000 for 1960, to operate some 650 technical schools and related facilities for impoverished and migrant Jews in 20 countries, was adopted here today at the national conference of the board of directors of the American ORT Federation.
The 1960 budget, it was announced, contains significant increases in ORT programs in Israel, Morocco, Tunisia and Iran, areas designated as regions “where the need is greatest.” Two-thirds of the increase, the 500 delegates were told, is earmarked for the expansion of ORT trade schools in Israel, which are expected to enroll some 10,000 students.
The conference ratified a financial agreement with the Joint Distribution Committee under terms of which ORT will receive $1,700,000 in support of activities abroad. The balance of the ORT budget is to be met by membership income and grants made by governments and communities where services are provided.
Dr. William Haber, president, announced establishment of a new technical assistance department to make available to underdeveloped countries ORT experience in manpower training essential to economic modernization. He said the International Cooperation Administration in Washington was circulating a memorandum on ORT’s availability for such projects to its missions abroad.
The organization had been approached by several European governments to undertake such projects, Dr. Haber reported. He stated that ORT has been conducting training programs in cooperation with the U.S. Escapee Program and with the French Italian Governments.
Avraham Harman, Ambassador of Israel, who was guest of honor at the conference dinner, told the board members that the network of trade schools ORT has established in his country had been highly effective in aiding newcomers to become productive citizens. He urged the agency to find ways of enlarging its Israel programs so as to increase the number of technicians and other real skilled people Israel requires for its industrial development.
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.
