J.D.C. Announces Initial Grant of $1,800,000 to Ort for 1962 Activities

The Joint Distribution Committee has agreed to make an initial grant of $1,850,000 during 1962 toward the vocational training programs of CRT, it was announced here today by officials of both organizations. The agreement provides for a review in March of this year with a view to possible additional allocations by JDC, because of the expansion of ORT training activities overseas.

The amount ORT will expend for all its 1962 programs in 19 countries is over $7,000,000,000 Under terms of the agreement reached between the two agencies, ORT will make up from other sources the differences between the JDC grant and the total required. The funds will help finance trade, education and economic rehabilitation activities which ORT conducts in Europe, Israel, North Africa and Iran. Forty thousand persons are expected to receive such assistance in these areas during the coming year.

The understanding makes provision for a vocational instruction program in India, which is expected to get under way later this year. The new pact anticipates stepped up enrollment of trainees in ORT programs in Israel, France, Iran and other areas, and allocates increased funds for this purpose. It likewise provides continued assistance for the vocational training of Jews in Poland, both those repatriated from Russia and those in need among the so-called “settled population.” Both JDC and ORT organized aid programs there several years ago on behalf of an estimated 20,000 Jewish repatriates from the Soviet Union.

Signing the financial pact for the two agencies were Moses A. Leavitt, JDC executive vice-chairman, Dr. William Haber, president of the American ORT Federation and Max A. Braude, director general of the World ORT Union. The current pact is the 16th consecutive annual financial agreement between the two agencies. The total assistance which JDC has made available to ORT in the past 15 years tota is $21,743,000. The new agreement specifies that the American ORT Federation will refrain from conducting independent fund-raising campaigns in the United States, but will be permitted to continue its membership activities.