Moshe Kol, world head of Youth Aliyah, said today that the first time in its 26-year history the organization lacks funds to accept an additional 3,000 children who need Youth Aliyah care.
Mr. Kol, who arrived here from Israel yesterday, told 600 leaders of Hadassah at the annual Hadassah Youth Aliyah conference that an additional $1,000,000 would enable the organization to admit the 3,000 children. He described them as “victims of broken homes and difficult social environments who are suffering from psychological ills and cultural backwardness.” He said these problems made the absorption of the children “dependent primarily on assistance from Youth Aliyah.”
Reporting that Youth Aliyah cares for 12,000 young people in more than 250 installations in Israel, he said that the needs of Israel’s underprivileged children had increased during the past two years because of the coming of young people from Oriental as well as East European countries. The Youth Aliyah 1959-60 budget totals about $5,500,000, a drop of $1,000,000 compared with the previous budget, he said, adding that Youth Aliyah depends on voluntary organizations for financial support. Hadassah contributes $2,100,000 annually.
Mrs. A. P. Schoolman, Hadassah national chairman for Youth Aliyah, told the delegates that Hadassah is considering aid to Youth Aliyah to develop a special program for culturally retarded children who cannot now be helped by Youth Aliyah. Mrs. Franklin D. Roosevelt, who also addressed the conference, presented a special Youth Aliyah Mother Award to Mrs. Miriam K. Freund, Hadassah president. Mrs. Roosevelt is a world patron of Youth Aliyah.
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