Criticism against the Joint Distribution Committee for a decision not to give financial support to the OSE Union in Israel was voiced at a press conference here by Abel Shaban world chairman of the OSE.
Attributing the decision to Moses A. Leavitt, JDC executive vice-chairman, Mr. Shaban charged that it is “directly opposed” to an agreement reached last July between the OSE leaders and Moses Beckelman, late JDC director general for overseas activities. Mr. Shaban emphasized that “at that time it was clearly understood that the work of OSE in Israel was to be continued with JDC financial assistance.”
“The OSE in Israel,” Mr. Shaban stated, “performed a much needed task in caring for the health of about 5,000 children annually in its program.” He added that the work of the OSE in Israel was highly commended by the Israeli Ministry of Health, the Jewish Agency and President Itzhak Ben Zvi. At the same time, he made it clear that JDC assistance to other OSE programs outside of Israel was continuing.
“The closing of the OSE program in Israel,” Mr. Shaban declared, “would spell tragedy in the lives of the 5,000 children now being cared for and for those whom the OSE had hoped to help in their future programs. It is imperative that the work of the OSE in Israel should continue. Without JDC financial assistance it will be a terrible struggle for the world OSE Union to keep its program in Israel alive and functioning.”
(JDC circles in New York said today that the JDC has never supported the OSE program in Israel and that no commitments had ever been made to do so. They said that after examining the program, the JDC and the Jewish Agency concluded that there were many more urgent needs affecting the Jews which had a prior call on the resources of the two organizations. They emphasized that the JDC will continue to assist the OSE Union and OSE institutions in North Africa, Italy and France.)
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.
