Jewish Agency Establishes Department to Encourage Emigration from Anglo-saxon Lands

The establishment of the department to deal especially with new immigration to Israel from Anglo-Saxon countries was announced here today by the Jewish Agency. The department will collaborate with the Zionist organizations in Anglo-Saxon countries to facilitate the immigration of Jews from these lands, and the settlement and integration of the prospective newcomers in the Jewish state.

Emphasizing that about 5,000 Jews, coming principally from the United States and Britain, have already settled in Israel since the establishment of the Jewish state, the announcement says that a large number of tourists who recently visited Israel displayed a keen interest in settling in the Jewish state in the near future. Moreover, it is understood that British authorities have lately approved, on a small scale, the transfer of capital for British citizens who may desire to emigrate to Israel, the Jewish Agency announcement reveals.

The principal feature offered by the new department is the possibility of acquiring new housing, thereby overcoming the main difficulty confronting all newcomers in Israel. The plan involves partial payment of the total cost of the house in foreign currency for which the Jewish Agency will buy all building materials necessary for the erection of the house. The new-comer will be paying the balance after his arrival in Israel in easy installments and through long-term mortgages.

The new department is intended for immigrants with limited financial means, to be recruited chiefly from the middle class. The houses for these immigrants will be built by Amidar, the housing corporation which is partly owned by the government and the Jewish Agency, thus ensuring maximum construction speed and official support for the integration of the newcomers into the country’s economic life.