Moving scenes of the reunion of families long sundered were enacted at dockside here today as a Greek ship chartered by the Jewish Agency brought 257 Jewish immigrants.
Two hundred of the newcomers aboard the vessel, the SS Aeolia, had left Rumania only a week ago. They had gone by train to Naples, via Vienna. From the Italian port, they were brought on this ship to Haifa where parents were reunited with children, brothers and sisters once more came together, families long torn apart because Rumania had closed its gates on its Jews eight years ago were–at last–reunited. Journalist here observing the tearful-joyful scenes viewed the re-enactment of the early years of large-scale Jewish immigration.
More than a fourth of these new arrivals from Rumania were immediately taken in hand by their Israeli relatives who took their new-found kin to their own homes, scattered throughout this country.
The rest of the immigrants were taken from the pier to settlements prepared for their reception in Jerusalem, Haifa, the rugged Lachish area, or in the hills of Galilee. There, new-built homes were ready for them.
The majority of the immigrants were middle-aged or younger Most of the adults have two or more children. There were, in this transport, a number of physicians, architects and their professionals. But the majority consisted of qualified artisans and mechanics — an element considered by the Israelis as a very welcome addition to the economy of the country.
All were reluctant to speak of their experiences in Rumania, lest they might hamper the emigration of more Jews from their old country or, perhaps, affect the status of relatives left behind.
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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.
