Dulzin Reports on Aliya

Leon Dulzin, acting chairman of the Jewish Agency and of the World Zionist Executive, said that while aliya on a global basis remained at a strong level, emigration from the United States to Israel has declined during the past eight months, but predicted that 7200 Canadian and American olim would arrive in Israel by year-end. He said that 188 Jews were being absorbed daily by Israel and that there was a resurgence of aliya from Eastern European countries–independent of that from the Soviet Union–which will result in some 10,000 new immigrants this year from those countries.

Dulzin, addressing a special meeting of the American Zionist Federation Executive Committee, disclosed that in order to make adjustments in Israel easier for single people, the Jewish Agency has initiated a program in which 1000 housing units are being built to accommodate single people who come on aliya. He stressed that “insofar as the continuity of the Jewish people is concerned our two major concerns should be Jewish education and aliya. Certainly, aliya must be the central Zionist concern in the United States.”

Discussing the quality of the Soviet immigrants. Dulzin said they were highly-trained and educated but that frequently it is difficult to find appropriate professional placement for them. In such cases the immigrant is given further education and training so as to enable him to enter the mainstream of Israeli life.

“The fact remains,” Dulzin said “that with few exceptions all Soviet olim are placed in jobs and provided with housing and other necessities of life. Consequently, those few who choose to leave Israel will no longer be assigned refugee status, which hitherto has entitled them to aid from other Jewish sources.”