The Joint Distribution Committee is spending more than $1,000,000 a month to make possible the recovery and rehabilitation of thousands of sick, aged and handicapped Jewish refugees and their families who have resettled in Israel in the past five years, it was reported today at the opening session of the five-day conference of JDC field directors from 18 countries. The report was presented by Charles Passman, director of Malben, JDC health and rehabilitation agency in Israel.
The conference, with 31 American Jewish philanthropic leaders attending as guests, is reviewing present and future Jewish relief, rescue and rehabilitation needs overseas. Mr. Passman reported that since Malben’s establishment four years ago by JDC, more than 35,000 aged, and handicapped and sick newcomers to Israel have benefitted directly from its extensive network of hospitals, sanatoria, old-age homes and workshops. Including dependents, Malben has aided in the integration of more than 100,000 persons in the life of the Jewish State.
The conference will also consider: 1. Expansion of health care, education, relief and economic aid programs in behalf of nearly 600,000 Jews in North Africa and Iran now living under conditions of extreme hardship; 2. Aid for the development of the growing ability of Jewish communities in Western Europe to meet their own welfare needs, thus freeing funds for urgent programs in other areas; 3. Plans for finding permanent solutions to the problems of nearly 30,000 Jewish survivors in Central and Western Europe.
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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.
