Israel Needs 40,000 Immigrants Annually, Pincus Tells C.J.F.W.F. Mission

Israel needs at least 40,000 immigrants annually to cope with its demographic problems, Aryeh L. Pincus, chairman of the Jewish Agency executive, declared here today at a meeting with a 17-member mission of the Council of Jewish Federations and Welfare Funds. The Jewish communal officials and executives from the United States and Canada arrived here last night for a two-week examination of Israel’s needs.

Mr. Pincus also told the American leaders, led by Louis Fox of Baltimore, CJFWF president, that the Jewish Agency has been cooperating lately with scientific institutes in studying the problems of absorption and that Agency officials were periodically taking part in refresher courses to acquaint them with the needs of each new group of immigrants. He suggested also that all stories of volunteering by Jews throughout the world for Israel in the May-June crisis and war should be collected and issued in book form.

The mission members were also briefed by Finance Minister Pinhas Sapir and David Horowitz, Governor of the Bank of Israel. They will take part tomorrow and Thursday in the economic conference here of world Jewish financial and business leaders called by Prime Minister Levi Eshkol. The mission was joined today by Max Fisher of Detroit, national chairman of the United Jewish Appeal, who came here for the conference.

The function of the mission is to evaluate Israel’s needs in the aftermath of the six-day June war which American Jewry can help to meet and to seek to determine how this help can be provided most effectively.

Mr. Sapir lauded the work of American Jewry and its leaders for Israel. He singled out the federations and welfare funds. Mr. Fox replied that the main credit should go to Israel and its people who gave their lives as well as funds. But, he added, when speaking of the American Jewish efforts, one should not overlook the role of the Jewish professionals who seldom appeared in the limelight. He said that while lay leaders in the United States and Canada did their part in the special Israel Emergency Fund Campaign of the United Jewish Appeal, it was largely due to the diligence and devotion of the executive directors that the campaign was so successful.

Other members of the mission included Philip Bernstein, CJFWF executive director, Louis Stern, chairman of the CJFWF overseas committee, and Lewis H. Weinstein, vice-chairman of the committee.