Heartening progress towards economic and social revival marked the year 1947 for Europe’s Jews as the emphasis in assistance programs in their behalf began slowly to move from relief to reconstruction; it was reported today in a year-end review by Edward M.M. Warburg, chairman of the Joint Distribution Committee.
The JDC conducted the most extensive assistance operation ever undertaken by a voluntary, non-governmental agency, appropriating the record sum of $175,092,000 in programs which brought aid to nearly 1,000,000 Jewish men, women and children in Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and the Orient, Mr. Warburg stated.
Although the need for outright relief continued to dominate the situation confronting Europe’s Jews, “excellent progress” was recorded in reconstructive efforts aimed, at helping them earn their own livelihoods, Mr. Warburg reported. He revealed that a total of 103,000 persons, including dependents, were helped to full or partial self-support in 1947 through JDC-supported reconstruction activities throughout the continent.
OTHER MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE JDC DURING THE YEAR, ACCORDING TO MR. WAR-BURG, INCLUDE:
1. Providing all or part of their food to more than 750,000 Jewish men, women and children in nearly every country of Europe, through supplies distributions, 375 JDC canteens and feeding stations, relief grants and other assistance.
2. Bringing direct help to 132,0OO Jewish children in Europe, including 30,000 youngsters, mainly orphans, aided in- 327 JDC-supported children’s homes, nurseries and other Institutions.
3. Maintaining hundreds of schools and giving aid to a total of 85,000 Jewish youths in a broad educational program.
4. Expanding its medical activities, including shipments of medical equipment and supplies, to include the establishment or maintenance of 380 hospitals, dispensaries, clinics, sanatoria and convalescent homes, through which hundreds of thousands of Europe’s Jews were able to find new health and strength.
5. Assisting 30,OO0 Jewish refugees to find new homes in Palestine, the United States, Latin. America and other lands in a vast resettlement program which included paying transportation costs for the emigration of 11,000 certificated Jews to the Holy Land.
“The outstanding development affecting the Jews of Europe during 1947 was the United Nations decision on Palestine, forecasting a solution to the problem of homelessness for large numbers of Europe’s Jews,” Mr. Warburg stated. “This imposes grave responsibilities on the JDC, for expended activities must be undertaken at once by JDC in order to fit these Palestine-bound persons for productive careers in the Holy Land.” The JDC chairman pointed out, however, that even with the emigration of a possible 100,000 Jews to Palestine and other lands this year, the JDC will be faced with the necessity of providing large-scale assistance to those remaining.
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