Jewish Agency Establishes Committee to Plan Reparations for Jews in Europe

The Jewish Agency for Palestine has established a special committee to work out a plan for post-war compensation for European Jews whose property has been confiscated by the German authorities, it was announced here today by Moshe Shertok, head of the Agency’s political department. The committee will work in close cooperation with all Jewish representative institutions throughout the world, Shertok stated.

It was also announced here today that Leo Herman, an active leader of the Keren Hayesod, has been appointed by the Jewish Agency to represent Jewish interests at the Middle-East Relief Administration which has been formed in Cairo to administer relief and furnish medical care to the population in the Balkan countries immediately after their liberation by the Allied armies. Volunteer units are now being selected and trained for this work in Cairo and in Palestine.

The first group of sixty Jewish volunteers trained for this emergency relief work has just completed a six-weeks course. These volunteers all speak one or more languages of the countries where the first relief opportunities are likely to arise. Many of them are natives of Greece and Yugoslavia. The training is conducted under the direction of Mr. Hermann who will soon proceed to Cairo.

The training of the Palestine volunteers includes studies of the population in the liberated territories, measures to combat epidemics, child welfare, distribution of food and clothing, and methods of helping the local population to re-establish its own life. So far, the exact status of the Middle-East Relief Administration has not been fixed. It is not known, therefore, whether it will continue to work as an independent agency or whether it will be merged with the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration under the general directorship of Herbert H. Lehman.