The financial crisis now facing the Jewish Agency was the subject of discussion today at a special session of the finance committee of the Knesset. Berl Locker, chairman of the Agency executive, attended the session and presented detailed information on the activities of the Jewish Agency in the fields of resettlement, housing and immigration.
A proposal by Finance Minister Eliezer Kaplan to have the Israel Government contribute toward the Agency’s budget for the next six months was considered at the session. Discussion on the financial situation of the Agency will continue tomorrow.
The committee also discussed proposals by the Joint Distribution Committee that the latter operate a number of philanthropic services in Israel, especially in connection with aid to aged and sick displaced Jews who arrive in Israel from DP camps in Europe. The committee accepted the J.D.C. proposals and will refer them to Parliament for final approval.
The Israel Cabinet today considered a report from the Knesset finance committee on resuming production at the Palestine Potash Corporation’s plant on the shores of the Dead Sea. (Reuters reported today that the Israel Cabinet had turned down a proposal for the transportation of the plant’s products via the Transjordan-controlled Jericho road. The British news agency also said that the plan was advanced by M. Novomeysky, manager of the plant, who had already obtained the consent of King Abdullah of Transjordan.)
The Mapai has submitted a written proposal to Mapam to join the present coalition Cabinet, Zalman Abaranovich, Mapai leader, announced at a party meeting last night. Mapam sources confirmed the disclosure and said the new proposals will be studied next week.
The Ministry of Religion decided to bring to Jerusalem religious articles belonging to Jewish communities in various parts of Europe which were wiped out by the Nazis, it was reported here today. Most of the art objects were assembled in Europe and shipped to Israel under the direction of Dr. Mordecai Markis, director of the Bazalel Museum in Jerusalem. These items will be brought to Jerusalem in a ceremony which will rival the Roman action in removing the property of Jerusalem’s Temple 2,000 years ago, the report said.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.
