American Technion Society Votes to Expand Program; Raised $13,340,000

A resolution to expand the program of the American Technion Society on behalf of the activities of Technion, the Israel Institute of Technology at Haifa, was adopted here today at the conclusion of the society’s three-day national planning conference.

Until now, the society’s work has been devoted principally to providing financial and technical assistance to Technion. Under the expanded program, the delegates voted today to establish on the institute’s campus, at Haifa, a center where American industrialists will exhibit their molds, dies and technical equipment, offering these exhibits to Israel manufacturers on a lend-lease basis.

In the last 10 years, the society has raised more than $13,340,000 for the advancement of higher technical and scientific education of Israel, according to a report to the conference by Col. J. R. Elyachar, of New York, national campaign chairman.

The conference heard at today’s session an appeal for American scientists and engineers to come to Israel, “if only for a brief period,” to help raise academic standards in Israel. The appeal was voiced by Justice Moshe Landau, a member of Israel’s Supreme Court, who is chairman of Technion’s board of governors.

A plan envisaging increase of Israel’s exports by 100 percent within the next four years was outlined at the conference by Pinhas Sapir, Minister of Commerce and Industry of Israel. He disclosed that a four-year economic program worked out by the Israel Government called for doubling of Israel’s present exports, now valued at $175,000,000 annually.

Jacob Sensibar, of Chicago, national president of the American Technion Society, told the delegates that “side by side with its critical political-military situation, Israel is still confronted with the need to speed up its industrialization, so that the imbalance of trade that places her in unfavorable economic situation will be corrected soon.”