More than 500 delegates attending the 42nd annual national conference of the American ORT Federation here today approved programs of vocational training during 1964 to more than 40, 000 Jews in need and distress overseas. The delegates, representing 100. 000 members though out the U.S., approved a report submitted by the organization’s president, Dr. william Haber, for stepped up programs of trade schools for youth and adults in Israel, France, Iran, India and Argentina.
The conference accepted a budget of $8, 851, 300 for the support and maintenance of over 600 technical education projects in 21 countries and approved specific allocations of $3, 163, 500 toward this total. An agreement with the Joint Distribution Committee providing for $1,950, 000 during 1964 toward these allocations was ratified by the meeting. Over $1, 215, 000 additional is expected from membership income of Women’s American ORT and other affiliated groups. The balance of ORT financial needs overseas is expected to be met by ORT organizations in other countries and by contributions from governments and local communities in the areas where the ORT vocational programs are located.
President Johnson, in a message to the delegates read at the conference, said that ORT “continues to prove that nothing better serves an important purpose than accomplishment.” He cited the ORT accomplishments in Israel, in North and West Africa, in Iran, in Poland, and in Western Europe and wished the organization success with its program of enlarging vocational training facilities for refugees camps Algeria in France.
In reporting on plans for 1964 ORT Activities, Dr. Haber declared that the organization would operate on the double track principle, “Augmenting training services to North African Jewish refugees in France and new in Israel white expanding secondary level technical schooling for youth in the 11-13 age bracket.
He announced that the French Government had agreed to finance but in 48 and 63 per cent of the cost of construction of new ORT schools for North African refugees living in Paris, Touluse and Marseilles. These new facilities, he declared possible for ORT to raise its enrollment by more than 25 per cent. He tested that there is a problem of integration of the refugees into the French economy was a matter of billing not jobs.
WILL OPEN NETWORK OF NEW ORT CENTERS IN ISRAEL NEXT MONTH
Ambassador Katriel Katz, Consul General of Israel in New York, address the delegates on the problem of integrating new immigrants by means of evacuations and educational programs in order to make them productive elements in Israel Democratic society. ” He urged an intensification of ORT educational activities for the purpose.
Mrs. Sadye Roth, chairman of the executive committee of Women’s American announced that the first of a network of new ORT apprenticeship centre would help in Haifa, Israel next month. This center will have an annual training capacity of 2,500 students. It will be named for the former president of Women’s American Mrs. Jeannette O. Gayl. Four such centers are planned for the next period, which enroll up to 15, 000 youth.
Herbert J. Waters, Assistant Administrator of the Agency for internals and Development, the U.S. foreign assistance agency, called for “an increased partnership between AID and American voluntary organizations in the conduct of people-to-people development programs.” As an example of this “partnership” pattern, Mr. Wafers announced that ORT training projects in the West African countries of Mali and Guinya, under contract with the AID, would be expanded. The new agreements, which will run to require ORT to provide 42 instructors and specialists in technical fields for both countries.
ORT TO GET $750, 000 IN U.S. GOVERNMENT EXCESS PROPERTY
Mr. Waters also announced that under what be described as Fan history agreement with AID, ” under terms of which ORT is authorized to acquire $750.000 worth of U.S. government excess properly. $200, 000 worth of milling machines, lathes, drill presses and other machine tools had already been forwarded to ORT schools abroad, He described this agreement as “a significant landmark, for it was the initial excess property agreement between the AID and a registered American voluntary agency for multi-country projects.
Irving Kane, chairman of the Commission on Overseas Studies of the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds, speaking at the evening dinner session, described. major developments in the field of welfare services within the Jewish community. Adolph Held, vice-president of the American ORT Federation, eulogized the late Herbert H. Lehman, who had been honorary president of ORT, and recalled is mores than 40 years of association with the organization, The conference adopted a resolution to explore the possibilities of creating a suitable memorial in Israel to Mr. Lethman. The organization presented an award in the form of a bronze plaque to R. Sargent Shriver, Director of the Peace Corps, for achievement in the filed of human development and training.
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