207,000 Jews Received J.D.C. Assistance During 1959, Leavitt Reports

More than 207,000 persons in 25 countries received assistance from the Joint Distribution Committee during 1959 in one form or another, it was reported today by Moses A. Leavitt, executive vice-chairman of the JDC. Plans to aid 250,000 persons in 1960 will be discussed at the 45th annual meeting of the JDC which takes place tomorrow. More than $28,000,000 was expended by the JDC during 1959 in assistance to needy Jews overseas.

Of the Jews who received JDC aid during 1959, more than 104,000 were in Moslem countries, principally North Africa and Iran, Mr. Leavitt said in his report. There were also some 56,000 in Europe, more than 42,000 in Israel and nearly 4,600 in such other areas as Australia, “In Israel, Malben-JDC, which cares for aged, ill and handicapped newcomers and their families, aided some 20,300 persons, including hundreds through an expanded program of non-institutional care for the aged. In addition, nearly 14,000 were aided there through cultural and religious programs,” the JDC leader reported.

“JDC’s assistance continued to cover a broad range of needs,” Mr. Leavitt stressed. “There were 32,355 persons receiving cash relief, chiefly in Europe; 85,685 benefiting from feeding programs, more than 56,000 of them in Moslem areas; 5,790 in homes for the aged, the bulk in Israel; 29,970 receiving medical aid and 68,670 receiving educational assistance, these last two programs concentrated also chiefly in Moslem countries. In addition, 5,365 children and young people received other kinds of aid; and 36,545 were aided through cultural and religious programs.”

DEPLORES THE SHUTTING OFF OF JEWISH EMIGRATION FROM RUMANIA

One of the most disheartening single developments of 1959 was the shutting off of Jewish emigration from Rumania,” the JDC executive vice-chairman declared. “After some 15,000 persons had passed through Vienna en route to Israel, the Bucharest government halted the issuance of exit permits early in March; as a result, the mass movement from Rumania which had started in the fall of 1958 came virtually to an end.

“When the emigration ended, there were more than 15,000 Jews in Rumania who had been fully documented for departure and were ready to leave. These lost their homes and their employment and were left in difficult economic circumstances.

“On the other hand,” Mr. Leavitt continued, “there was continued movement of Jews into Poland under the Soviet-Polish repatriation agreement which was to have expired at the end of 1958. The movement of those who had already registered was first permitted through March and then through June 1959. However, the movement also continued in the third quarter of the year, making a total of almost 4,000 Jews who were repatriated to Poland during the first nine months of 1959. In the same period, 2,921 persons emigrated from Poland to Israel.”

Emigration from Egypt was limited chiefly to cases of family reunion, according to the JDC leader. At the same time, the resettlement of Egyptian refugees, residing mainly in France, continued at a modest pace. As of October 1, 1959, 1,036 Egyptian Jews had been admitted to the United States under Public Law 86-316, Section 15; of this umber, 635 were admitted this year, Mr. Leavitt reported.

Reviewing the aid given by the JDC to Jews in European and Moslem countries, Mr. Leavitt said: “The Jewish communities of Europe have made a remarkable recovery since the end of World War II. Today there exists in most of the countries of the continent a network of Jewish institutions and specialized services, established with the help of JDC. But the ranks of leadership–both lay and professional–remain depleted. Most urgent is the shortage of rabbis, teachers, youth leaders, social workers and other communal workers.” In the Moslem countries, Mr. Leavitt reported, an atmosphere of insecurity today surrounds the Jewish population.