Despite mounting restriction faced by Europe’s Jews who wished to emigrate from the countries in which they were living, HIAS aided 11,079 persons of 14 nations in Europe to find homes in more than 15 countries overseas and various other localities of Europe during the first six months of 1949, the organization reported today.
The report, a statistical compilation of HIAS accomplishments as released by Isaac L. Asofsky, the Society’s executive director, stated that in many instances the figures surpassed those of the same period in 1948. It explained that mounting immigration of DP’s to the United States under the current legislation in part accounted for the increased services rendered by HIAS. However, emigration from Eastern European countries had dropped off due to governmental barriers.
Operating with more than 100 offices throughout the world, the Society found a home for 6,918 in the United States during the first half of 1949; 1,016 in Israel; 765 in Canada; 493 in Argentina; 453 in Brazil; 457 in Australia; and 359 in other countries of Europe. Lesser numbers went to Central and a number of South American countries.
The greatest number of Jews moved from European countries by HIAS, in the first six months of 1949, were 5,629 from Germany. The Society helped 1,560 emigrate from France, 1,019 from Austria, 438 from Czechoslovakia, 388 from Italy, 418 from Poland, 271 from Bulgaria, 246 from England, 258 from Belgium, 245 from Sweden, 210 from Switzerland, 135 from Holland, 119 from Hungary, 129 from Rumania, and 58 from Turkey.
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