Israel needs a “reawakening of the spirit of immigration” if it is to survive and flourish, S.Z. Shragai, head of the immigration department of the Jewish Agency, told a press conference here. He said his current European trip was an endeavor to “awaken” the “dormant will” of Jews everywhere to migrate to Israel and to study the reasons for their “hesitation.”
Mr. Shragai said that last year 10,000 Jews had come to Israel, but 8,000 had emigrated. He said that despite the enormous difficulties involved, the Jewish Agency wanted to liquidate the entire Jewish community of North Africa and bring 50,000 to 60,000 Jews from there to Israel.
The Agency leader also revealed that the Israel Government was planning to offer housing tax exemptions and guaranteed incomes to professionals to attract them as immigrants. This and every other move to attract immigrants was made at “high cost to our society,” Mr. Shazar noted.
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