Polish Government Explains Relations Between Jewish Community and Itself

The Polish Government today issued a statement explaining the relations between itself and the Jewish community.

The statement, in the form of a communique from the Ministry for Public Administration, revealed that the government is permitting Polish Jews who wish, to depart for Israel. The statement declared that the government has arranged to facilitate the departure of such Jews by speeding up the granting of exit visas and by arranging for their transportation under the government travel agency.

Asserting that it is obvious that those who leave are primarily linked ideologically with the Zionist movement and that they had a great deal of influence in the Zionist movement and institutions in this country, the communique emphasized that their departure will result in the stopping of Zionist activities and the liquidation of such organizations.

A majority of the Jewish people of Poland, the statement continued, appreciating the full equality of rights which they enjoy in Poland, have no intention of leaving and for that reason the TOZ, Jewish Historical Institute and Jewish Society for Culture, as well as the “Religious Association of the Mosaic Faith in Poland”–formerly the Jewish Religious Congregation–will continue to exist in Poland.

Explaining the situation in relation to the Joint Distribution Committee, the statement said that because the Jews had suffered so greatly during the war the government had agreed to permit the J.D.C.’s special operations in Poland immediately after the war. However, since Poland has integrated the Jewish people within the general population in the economic rehabilitation and physical reconstruction of the country, the services of the J.D.C. are no longer required and that organization was so informed in October, the communique concluded.