More housing and jobs for immigrants who are now entering Israel at a rate comparable to the mass influx of the early days of statehood are now the two top priority needs in Israel, Dr. Joseph J. Schwartz, vice-president of the Israel Bond Organization, reported here today following his return from Jerusalem.
Reporting on his talks with Prime Minister Ben-Gurion, Finance Minister Eshkol, Foreign Minister Meir and others, Dr. Schwartz said that all government leaders underlined the central importance of Israel bonds in meeting these two priority needs. “Although the country has not yet completely adjusted to the new economic policy established several months ago, ” he asserted, “there is a gratifying awareness of the need for self-denial and economic controls in order to promote the orderly settlement of large-scale immigration.”
As an example of the sharp increase in housing needs, he cited the fact that the Government of Israel will require an additional amount of $33,333,000 to finance the construction of 10,000 housing units, over and above the 20,000 originally planned for this year.
Brigadier General Ezer Weizmann, Commander-in Chief of the Israel Air Force, arrived today at Idlewild Airport for a one-month tour of major American cities in behalf of the Israel bond drive. General Weizmann’s first meeting of his current visit in behalf of the Israel bond effort will be a dinner in Miami on May 27 which will inaugurate the 1962 campaign in that community. Among other cities where he will address Israel bond meetings are New York, Washington, Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Chicago and Cleveland.
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