Jewish Agency Assembly Delegates Discuss Rehabilitating Slum Areas

Delegates to the Jewish Agency’s 7th Assembly got down to the Assembly’s main order of business today–the rehabilitation of Israel’s slum areas–while demonstrators from the poor neighborhoods of the four largest cities paraded outside the convention hall with placards accusing the government of having shown no serious interest in solving their problems. The demonstrators had been prevented by ushers from raising their signs inside the hall.

The chief item on the Assembly’s agenda is the joint government-Jewish Agency “renewal project” calling for a massive reconstruction and rehabilitation program to improve the overall living conditions as well as the housing of some 45,000 disadvantaged families in 160 slum areas throughout the country. The project will be financed by the government and overseas Jewry. Dr. Avraham Avi-Hoi, chairman of the Keren Hayesod-United Israel Appeal, told the Assembly that the agency would raise $200 million over and above its regular campaigns during the next five years for the renewal project. The KH-UIA operates in all countries except the U.S. and Canada where fund-raising is conducted by the United Jewish Appeal.

The festive opening of the Assembly took place last night and was addressed by President Yitzhak Navon. But there were many rows of empty seats whose intended occupants were, apparently, at home watching a telecast of the World Cup soccer championship game in which Argentina defeated The Netherlands. The sport event emptied the streets of Jerusalem between 8-10 p.m. and Max Fisher of Detroit, chairman of the Jewish Agency Board of Govemors, acknowledged the competition when he gaveled the session to an early close. Only one Cabinet minister attended, Interior Minister Yosef Burg.