Kotlowitz Calls for Radical Changes in Dealing with Aliya and Olim

Rafael Kotlowitz, head of the World Zionist Organization’s immigration and absorption department, has called for radical changes in the way aliya is handled and how olim are dealt with when they arrive in the country. Addressing a WZO Executive meeting here, he described new measures undertaken by his department to pinpoint potential aliya and to deal with the problem of dropouts among Jews leaving the Soviet Union.

Kotlowitz conceded that Israel cannot expect massive waves of immigration. “There will be no mass aliya from any country unless the Jewish community there is in real trouble and even then, only if options for other countries are closed down,” he said. He cited as examples the exodus of Jews from Rhodesia who go to South Africa instead of Israel, and the thousands of Jews who have emigrated from South Africa, but only a third of whom went to Israel. “Even lran’s Jews go to the U.S. and other countries rather than Israel,” Kotlowitz said.

He believes the greatest potential for aliya exists among the tens of thousands of youths from abroad who volunteer to spend time in Israel for studies and other activities. He said his department has established a computerized central data bank containing basic information on all potential olim. It has also established a new branch to deal specifically with Soviet Jews. It will send emissaries to the transit centers in Vienna and Rome to try to convince the emigres to come to Israel instead of other countries.

PROBLEM OF HOUSING SHORTAGE

According to Kotlowitz, the housing shortage is one of the major deterrents to immigration, especially the lack of adequate housing for single olim. He said that more than 33 percent of the immigrants who left Israel in the last two years were singles. While the departure rate for all immigrants who decide to leave Israel after three years is 16 percent, the rate for singles from Western countries is 42 percent, he said.

He proposed that the Jewish Agency establish special aliya neighborhoods close to the large cities, that veteran olim “adopt” new arrivals from their countries of origin and that native-born Israelis live among olim to help accelerate their integration and prevent alienation. Kotlowitz also suggested that his department appoint an ombudsman to handle immigrants’ complaints, who would be directly responsible to the department head.

Kotlowitz’s proposals were referred to the Executive’s committee on immigration and absorption for study and will be referred back to the full Executive for action. WZO chairman Lean Dulzin said that he would call a special meeting in two weeks with Finance Minister Simcha Ehrlich and other ministers to discuss the housing problem. He said he would ask the government to convene a special session of the government-Jewish Agency coordinating body on the same subject.