Plans to help make up the loss of German reparations payments formerly made to overseas Jewish welfare organizations were adopted here today by the South-Southwest Regional Conference of the United Jewish Appeal. The action was taken by more than 500 key leaders of Jewish communities in this 10-state region at the concluding session of the two-day conference held at the Statler Hilton Hotel.
The delegates response came after a call for increased support of the United Jewish Appeal’s 1966 nationwide drive by Max M. Fisher of Detroit. General Chairman of the UJA, who pointed out that UJA-supported agencies which carry out immigrant absorption programs in Israel and welfare services for needy Jews in 30 other countries, were hard hit by the cut-off of $17, 000, 000 formerly received in annual payments from German reparation funds.
Principal speakers, Michael Comay, Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Senator Abraham A. Ribicoff of Connecticut, and Mrs. Jack Karp of Los Angeles, Chairman of the UJA National Women’s Division, underlined Mr. Fisher’s plea for increased efforts on behalf of the increased UJA needs.
Ambassador Comay noted that the State of Israel no longer receives the annual $60,000,000 in goods and services formerly made available as material reparations by-the West German Government. This economic loss makes it even more difficult for Israel’s people to carry the main financial burden of resettling, housing and rehabilitating the scores of thousands of uprooted Jews who have received — and will continue to receive — haven in Israel. The Conference Co-Chairmen were Jacob Feldman of Dallas, and Sidney Feldman of Atlanta.
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