Jewish Agency Submits $117,250,000 Budget to Actions Committee

A budget of $117,250,000 to cover the activities of the Jewish Agency during 1953 has been submitted to the Zionist Actions Committee, which is currently meeting here, by Dr. George Josephthal, Jewish Agency treasurer.

The largest expenditure contemplated in the budget is for agricultural development, consolidation of settlements, irrigation, etc., for which $58,335,000, almost one-half of the entire budget, has been assigned.

The budget provides $6,965,000 for transportation of immigrants, $9,660,000 for their maintenance and initial absorption, and $8,400,000 for the Youth Aliyah. It assigns $5,950,000 to the Jewish National Fund and sets aside $1,659,000 for educational and cultural activities.

During today’s general debate at the Actions Committee session, Rabbi Irving Miller, president of the Zionist Organization of America, hailed the agreement reached here yesterday between Premier David Ben Gurion and American Zionist leaders on the expansion of the American Zionist Council. He expressed confidence that the agreement will “not remain on paper” but will be implemented by all Zionist groups. Rabbi James Heller, president of the American Zionist Laborites, said that the agreement will be judged by the actions of the parties concerned.

Zvi Herman, head of the organizational department of the Jewish Agency, praises the agreement. He said that the main tasks of the Zionist movement must be: 1. Mobilization of maximum economic assistance for Israel; 2. Political assistance to Israel; 3. Organization of emigration of Jews from various countries to Israel; 4. Spreading the Cha(##) ideal among Jewish youth; 5. Educational activities among Jews throughout the world.

Eliahu Dobkin, member of the Jewish Agency executive, reported on Zionist activities among Jewish youth and on the Chalutz movement. He said that there are today about 900 Chalutzim under training in all parts of the world, the majority of them in Latin American countries. He stressed the necessity for increased Zionist work among the Jewish youth in countries outside of Israel.

Rabbi M. Kirshblum, president of the American Mizrachi Organization, discussed the decreased Jewish immigration to Israel. He said that it was not austerity which prevents Jews from settling in Israel but the lack of suitable conditions for Jews now living in Western countries who might be interested in moving to Israel. He called for the creation of such conditions.