Over 10,000 Aided by Ort in 1941 in Vocational Training Program

More than 10,000 men, women and young people received constructive aid in 1941 in the trade schools, workshops and farming projects of ORT – Organization for Rehabilitation through Training – according to the annual report issued today by George Backer, president of the American ORT Federation.

This work was carried on for refugees and other war victims in nine overseas countries, Mr. Backer said, adding that plans for expansion to other places in 1942 are rapidly taking shape. Mr.Backer emphasized the ORT achievements in helping refugees become self-sufficient skilled workers able to add to the productivity of their adopted countries. He also cited ORT’s contribution to the victory effort of the democratic countries by training men for jobs in war industries, as in England where the graduates of the ORT school in Leeds are employed in defense plants.

Pointing out that the American Jewish community has recognized the need of “helping the refugee get on his feet” and become integrated into the life of the country, Mr. Backer said the same problem elsewhere requires proportionately greater efforts because of the larger ratio of refugees to the local population. “In England,” he said, “there are 50,000 refugees to a Jewish population of 300,000; in Argentina, more than 40,000 to 300,000; in Uruguay, 7,000 to 25,000. In other South American countries the proportion is much greater – in some cases there are six times as many refugees as local Jews. It is vital that the refugees become productive citizens as soon as possible. In the battle against anti-Semitism this integration is essential. At a time when the United Nations need every skilled hand, their skills are important weapons. It is not only a decent life for an individual that makes the continuation and extension of ORT’s work so vital in these countries, it is the need of the United Nations themselves which demands their training.”