President Eisenhower today praised the “notable record” achieved by ORT since it was founded in 1880, as the World ORT Union convened here today for its 80th anniversary congress.
“Man’s concern for his fellow man,” President Eisenhower stated in a message to William Haber, president of ORT, “is well expressed in efforts that advance the opportunity to achieve economic independence and pride of livelihood. During the past 80 years, the members of ORT have made a notable record in developing productive skills among hundreds of thousands of distressed persons throughout the world, and through the vocational training of individuals they have contributed much to the strength of their community and nation.”
ORT groups from 30 countries have sent 250 delegates to the five-day congress that opened this morning. In addition, leading diplomats and ranking United Nations representatives are here either as speakers or as observers.
On the agenda are measures for providing economic rehabilitation to Jews in flight from various countries, the vocational training requirements of more than half a million Jews in North Africa and in Iran, and a survey of the economic future of Israel. That survey is part of ORT’s continuing effort to help Israel’s economic advancement and development of competent Israeli labor forces for industry and manufacture in the Jewish State.
Outlining the growth of the organization since 1880, and declaring it is the largest non-governmental organization in the world devoted to vocational training and education, Dr. Haber stated that, last year alone, ORT provided instruction to 50,000 young people and adults. Since the end of World War II, he reported, the organization has spent over $50,000,000 for economic rehabilitation, and its current annual budget totals almost $17,000,000. ORT conducts more than 650 vocational training and technical education units in 19 countries on five continents.
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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.
