President and Mrs. Ben Zvi yesterday received as guests in their home a group of 76 immigrants representing residents of marabou in alt parts of the country. The President and Mrs. Ben Zvi entertained their guests in their home and in a succah built on a second story verandah of their home.
The President encouraged the immigrants to outline their problems and grieva –ances and heard the newcomers describe the widespread unemployment in the camps, the poor sanitary and health conditions and the lack of cultural facilities. Also, a spokesman for immigrants from the East European countries urged the government to help them maintain ties with relatives left behind and to try to bring those relatives to Israel.
The President took notes of the complaints and told the immigrants that every effort was being made and would be made to meet their needs. He urged them to overcome and eradicate friction among recent immigrants from different countries, pointing out that they were “all sons of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,” and “not Persian, Yemenite or Moroccan Jews.” The meeting between the President and the immigrants is one of many recent contacts between the chief of State and the “man in the street,” contacts which have been encouraged by Mr. Ben Zvi.
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.
