3,500 Attend U.J.A. Session in Israel; Hear Pledges by American Leaders

An audience of 3,500 people tonight heard American Jewish leaders pledge continued aid through the United Jewish Appeal for the settlement of Jewish immigrants in Israel. The pledges were voiced at a public session of the UJA convention held at the Bronfman Amphitheatre of the Hebrew University here.

Edward M.M. Warburg, UJA honorary chairman who presided over the evening session, said it was the will of American Jewry as expressed through the UJA, that “in this land you, who build, should have the bricks and the mortar for building. For when your sweat and sinews transform the barren soil and make it yield up the fullness of its fruits, it is our dream too, to which you give flesh and substance.” Samuel H. Daroff of Philadelphia disclosed that the sums announced here together with cash collected in thousands of other American communities will bring the UJA mid-year cash total to $35,700,000.

Dov Joseph, Jewish Agency treasurer, outlined the following nine-point program for Israel’s next decade of achievement: 1. Admission of 50,000 immigrants a year until Israel’s population hits the 3,000,000 mark; 2. Completion of the master plan for water development, which will require still another $150,000,000; 3. Settlement of the Negev; 4. Consolidation of agriculture, including expansion of citriculture; 5. Building of 100 new factories to produce goods for export and for the local market; 6. Construction of tens of thousands of new homes for the immigrants; 7. Continued afforestation; 8. Economic absorption of the stream of immigrants, and 9. Expansion of educational, health and social services.

(The session was also addressed by Premier David Ben Gurion. However, he had not yet delivered his speech by the time the Bulletin went to press.)