A total of 1,660 immigrants entered Israel last month, the largest single monthly total in over two years, S. Z. Shragai, head of the Jewish Agency’s immigration department told newsmen today. He revealed that present schedules call for 2,000 immigrants a month to enter the country during the next four months and then a further acceleration of pace from January, 1955, on.
Mr. Shragai said that not only was the increase in the number of immigrants admitted important, but even more significant was that almost every one of these immigrants is settled on the land as soon as he arrives. This is in sharp contrast to the previous situation when immigrants were forced to remain for weeks and months in immigrant camps. He said that the limit of 8,000 immigrants by the end of this year was set by the available funds, otherwise Israel could accept 15,000 in the same four months.
He hit out against attitudes prevalent in Israel which had a detrimental influence on the desire of Americans to emigrate to Israel. He noted that if extreme nationalism in various countries took on an anti-Jewish aspect there would be still fewer sources of immigration than now exist. He indicated that 5, 000 immigrants might be expected from South American countries in the next 12 months and a substantial number from France and other European countries.
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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.
