Approximately 24,000 of the 60,000 Jews in the American zone of Germany are living in homes and communities outside of displaced persons camps, Levy M. Becker, representative of the Joint Distribution Committee, revealed at a press conference here today, following his return from Germany.
Most of these Jews have given up camp life because of an intense desire to establish a normal family life, Becker declared. Despite the fact that most family units no longer exist, they are building new ones. Distant relatives and friends attempt to remain together. There are many marriages, he asserted, adding that not all the marriages are among young people. Many older couples, whose first mates were murdered by the Nazis, are remarrying and establishing new families.
There are approximately 9,000 Jewish children in the American zone under the age of 18, Becker estimated. The majority of them are over 14, and many are still trying to find traces of their missing kin.
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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.