A record budget of $79,935,600 to provide education and vocational training to 100,000 men, women and young people in 24 countries was approved today by some 750 delegates attending the American ORT Federation’s (AOF) national centennial conference of the Hilton Hotel. Nearly half of the sum — more than $39,000,000 — is to be spent in Israel, with substantial amounts also allocated for ORT’s efforts in France and in Latin America, particularly Argentina.
The budget was proposed by Sidney Leiwant, AOF president, who was reelected for a second year by acclamation. Noting that “this is the first budget of ORT’s second century, the 101st year,” Leiwant added that “there is another historic aspect to the program which you are approving. This other dimension is that in 1980 ORT education and vocational training and courses will be reaching 100,000 men, women and young people, the largest in its existence.”
Noting that most of the support for some 95 ORT educational and vocational institutions in Israel is provided by local authorities, including the Israeli government, Leiwant indicated that no additional funds for necessary expansions can be expected from these sources because of Israel’s economic problems and defense needs. “Even with this increase in our budget, he added, the unsettled world situation and galloping inflation may make it impossible for us to meet the increased needs of Israel’s youth and the Israeli economy.”
STRESSES THAT ISRAEL IS TOP PRIORITY
Earlier in the day the AOF delegates had heard a plea from Michael Avitzour, director general of ORT Israel, “to regard Israel as your top priority.” He warned that “there are many thousands of Israeli youngsters of high school one — more than 25,000 who are not within any educational system in the country. So far we have not been able to reach them; but we can and we want to.”
The QRT program in Israel is the largest of the 24 countries in which the world wide education and vocational training organization currently maintains schools and courses. ORT — the Organization for Rehabilitation through Training — was founded in Czarist Russia in 1880 and is currently celebrating its Centennial Year.
Speaking at the ORT Centennial Dinner last night, Sen. Jacob Javits (R. NY) declared that, since Israel and Egypt are now the linchpins of United States and free world security in the Middle East, increased United States financial support to both countries is required to protect vital American interests in the area.
“Security is the predominant consideration in the area now,” Javits declared. “It is essential that we have security enclaves in this area,” citing Israel and Egypt as current examples.
Javits, the ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, declared that, in view of the fact that “both Israel and Egypt have demonstrated their commitment to the negotiating process, the United States must be prepared to be patient “about the progress of autonomy negotiations between Israel and Egypt and must continue to insist on the peace process as outlined in the Camp David accords.
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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.
