Many Jews Will Remain in North Africa and Require J. D. C. Aid

Many of North Africa’s Jews will remain there for some time to come, despite a vastly expanded emigration program, and their condition will be such that they will require even more help than heretofore, Herbert Katzki, assistant director general of the Joint Distribution Committee, declared here today.

He told the tenth JDC country directors conference here that despite the sincere efforts of the Arab leaders of Tunisia and Morocco, there was still every indication of the steady constriction of economic opportunities for North African Jews, coupled with a tendency to relegate them to a minor political position.

Sam Haber, JDC director in Morocco, reported that the political and economic crisis in Morocco had increased the feeling of instability and insecurity among the Jewish population there.

He gave figures indicating that the Jewish population of Morocco, including Tangiers and the Spanish zone, was 214, 756 and that more than 50, 000 emigrants had left the area since 1951, most of them for Israel. He estimated emigration for 1955 at 28,000.

Mr. Haber reported increased calls for direct emergency relief to victims of terrorism. Until now, he said, such calls involved limited funds but he warned that if the economic repercussions of political tensions and terrorism continue to develop, “we may be faced with the necessity of coming to the aid of large numbers of people.”

Henry Levy, JDC director in Tunisia, reported that during the past two years, the rate of Jewish emigration from Tunisia has exceeded the estimated natural increase for the first time. During 1954, he revealed, 3,042 Jews left for Israel, during the first nine months of 1955, 4, 425 left and there are now about 10, 000 registered for emigration to Israel.