American Ort Approves Record Budget of $52,553,100 for 1978

A budget of $52,553,100 for operation of ORT programs in 24 countries during 1978 was approved by the American ORT Federation at its three-day 56th Annual National Conference meeting here at the Hotel Americana. Of this record expenditure, $25,367,000, almost 50 percent, has been allotted to the ORT vocational network in Israel by a convention which had for its theme: “Israel’s 30th Anniversary and 30 Years of ORT in Israel.”

The budget, presented by Harold Friedman, who was re-elected to the presidency of the 150,000 member organization for a fourth term, called for a greatly enlarged program in France to cost $15,683,400 which is expanding its services to this community of over 600,000, the great majority of recent North African origin.

The 600 delegates also voted allocations of over $1 million to three countries: Italy, $1,715,600; Iran, $1,141,900; and Argentina, $1,073,600. A total of $2,047,600 is anticipated for expenditure among Jewish day schools and ORT vocational and technical schools in eight Latin American countries.

PEAK NUMBER OF TRAINEES

Friedman announced that enrollment in all ORT facilities around the world in 1977 was 83,000, an increase of some 8000 trainees this year. This peak number of those served includes 65,503 in Israel.

Pointing out that “ORT is designed to provide the largest flow of technically adept manpower for the economic life of Israel,” he warned that “the approved allocation does not correspond to the real magnitude of what is necessary, especially in view of stringent and reduced Israel government subventions.”

The Arab community in Israel will be the beneficiaries of an expanded vocational educational network to be conducted by ORT, according to Max Braude, of Geneva, Director General, in a report to the delegates. The new program is being developed in accordance with a request made last week by Premier Menachem Begin, he said. Braude added that this latest initiative is in keeping with ORT activities responsive to needs of Israel in its 30-year history.

Dr. Gideon Meyer, director of Technical Studies for ORT Israel, reported that while the numbers of students in academic high schools in Israel have increased nine times in the past 30 years, those in vocational schools have increased 32 times, growing from 2500 students in 1949 to 74,000 in 1977, more than half of all Israel’s high school students.

Meyer said ORT Israel is planning a new project next year for the training of academic teachers for technical education. This will be done at the new ORT School of Engineering, together with the School of Education of the Hebrew University, he said.

A new ORT vocational program in New York was announced, the Division of Technology and Business Administration of the Bramson ORT Training Center which opened in the fall of 1977. According to Bernard Wand Polak, who designed this program, it was created to respond to the changing job and career needs of Americans who were caught in the vise of new technological demands.

Discussing the emigration of Jews from the Soviet Union, Bronx Borough President Robert Abrams said that “world opinion is the key element in whatever we can do to save the lives of Soviet Jewry.” Abrams, who is chairman of the Greater New York Conference for Soviet Jewry, further stated that “it is therefore up to American Jews to continue a widespread mobilization of efforts to persuade the Soviet government to allow Jews to emigrate.”

In 1977, he said, there were approximately 20,000 Soviet emigre Jews. “The number for 1978 is largely dependent on us,” he stated. “If we keep up the pressure not only on Russia, but on our own government to intervene in behalf of open emigration, the figure can increase.”