Ninety-three United Hias-assisted refugees from Eastern Europe–the largest number of Jewish migrants ever to arrive in the United States on one flight–came in at Kennedy Airport today. The refugees will be resettled in 10 cities throughout the United States.
James P. Rice, United Hias executive director, headed a team of II migration workers and volunteers who greeted the refugees, and sped them to the communities throughout the country where they will be resettled with the aid of local Jewish agencies. This large number of men, women and children reflects the rising trend in Hias-assisted migrants, Mr. Rice said. He pointed out that the number of persons Hias aided to resettle in countries of the Western world rose from 5,800 in 1963 to more than 9,000 in 1964, and 11,700 will be resettled in 1965.
This flight, he said, symbolizes the pent-up demand of thousands of families in Eastern Europe and North Africa who wish reunion with their families in the United States, Canada, Brazil, Western Europe and Australia. It was noted that the flight arrived only one day after President Johnson’s message to Congress, in which he urged the liberalization of immigration legislation.
Cities of resettlement for the refugees are New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Buffalo, Baltimore, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Columbus, Cleveland and Los Angeles.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
