Jewish Leaders in Canada Petition for Admission of Polish Jews

The Canadian Jewish Congress and the Jewish Immigrant Aid Services jointly petitioned Davie Fulton Acting Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, for departmental action on certain matters involving Polish nationals Egyptian refugees. Hungarian refugees and immigration from North Africa it was announced here today.

The petition urged that present regulations regarding entry of immigrants from Poland be extended to include sponsors in this country who are not yet Canadian citizens. The petitioners also indicated that certain people who left Poland under duress due to unsatisfactory conditions and especially anti-Semitism, have not been in a country of residence in Europe for the required two-year period. They asked that such cases be added to those still in Poland which would mean that all Polish applicants would come forward under the present plan irrespective whether they are in Poland or in Western Europe.

With the special project for immigration of Egyptian Jews to Canada closed, the petitioners urged that ways and means be found to give practical consideration to the sponsorship of first degree relatives in Canada for their first degree relatives, ever though they still reside in Egypt. They also pointed out that a number of escapees and expellees from Egypt are stranded in Europe and unable to enter Canada because of the two-year residence clause. They suggested that they be granted immigration status and that applications from Canadian residents of less than two-year residence be recognized, so that relatives already in Canada may be united with their families.

The brief indicated that the Jewish community would be prepared to accept the sponsorship of the small group of Jewish refugees from Egypt electing to enter Canada but with no relatives of first degree here to sponsor them. Landing permits were also requested for Egyptian Jews now in this country who are holders of temporary isas or at least that legal procedures against such persons be suspended until this problem can receive additional consideration.

ASK FOR REUNION OF HUNGARIAN JEWS; INTERVENE FOR NO. AFRICAN JEWS

For those escapees from Hungary now in Europe, with little hope of selection for immigration to Canada, the petition emphasized that the Canadian Jewish community would be prepared to offer its welfare and immigration aid services for initial assistance

While expressing great satisfaction with Government action in handling the cases of applicants from North Africa, the petition asked that applications on behalf of first degree relatives from North Africa should be considered in the same way as those from other countries. The joint submission was signed by Samuel Bronfman president of the Canadian Jewish Congress-Monroe Abbey, chairman of the CJC National Executive Committee and Jerry Segall, president of the Jewish Immigrant Aid Services. The delegation presenting the brief in Ottawa was lead by Mr. Abbey and included Messrs, S. Harvey, G. Hollinger, Saul Hayes, Joseph Kage, H, Soloway, Hy Hochberg and Max Swartz.