About 20 percent of the current immigration to Israel consists of professionals, it was revealed here today by Dewey D. Stone, chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel, Inc., and national chairman of the United Jewish Appeal upon his return from Israel where he discussed the problem of absorbing Israel’s newcomers with high government and Jewish Agency officials; He noted that currently some immigrant transports bring as much as one physician for every 20 newcomers.
Mr. Stone pointed out that Israel today faces one of the most difficult and in a sense paradoxical absorption problems encountered by any immigration country in the world: On the one hand, it must absorb professionals whose skills are sometimes so advanced and specialized that it is difficult to utilize them fully at the present stage of Israel’s economic development. On the other hand, there are large numbers of new arrivals from underdeveloped countries who must be taught the use of a light switch or a faucet.
The Jewish Agency leader reported that of some 6,000 professionals who arrived in Israel during the past five years, 80 percent had been re-trained or absorbed in their old professions; However, a considerable number are as yet without employment and the Jewish Agency is making every effort to increase the size of the constructive loan funds which help to provide housing, re-training subsidies and medical and dental instruments for professionals among Israel’s new immigrants. He noted that one of the factors aggravating the absorption problem is the age composition of the newcomers. Among some 1,260 physicians who arrived in Israel in the past five years, one-third was 50 years or older.
Mr. Stone appealed to American Jewry to intensify its efforts on behalf of the UJA to enable the Jewish Agency to expand its programs for the absorption of immigrant professionals; “In helping these newcomers,” he declared, “we are not only helping individuals to rebuild their lives in freedom and dignity but we are making it possible for them to continue to contribute their skills to the benefit of all of Israel; I have no doubt that from the ranks of these new arrivals there will come part of the manpower which will be urgently needed to serve continued waves of immigration which will arrive in Israel in the months ahead.”
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