“remarkable Progress” in Israel’s Economy Reported by UJA Leader

Israel in the last seven months has made “remarkable progress” in its drive to attain economic independence and this upward rate can be maintained, “even accelerated, “if American Jews continue to give substantial support to the United Jewish Appeal, Dr. Joseph J. Schwartz, executive vice-chairman of the UJA, declared today as he arrived here from a five-day consultation visit in Jerusalem with leaders of the Israel Government and the Jewish Agency.

Dr. Schwartz, accompanied by Morris W. Berinstein, a UJA national campaign chairman, announced that the UJA would get plans under way immediately for the raising of $50,000,000 in cash before the year’s end. He said that the aim of this drive would be “to sustain Israel’s encouraging economic advances, especially in agriculture.”

Mr. Berinstein, who has agreed to assume the added post of national cash committee chairman, said that he would begin formation this week of a special nationally recruited leadership group which would join in working out details of the nationwide $50,000,000 mobilization.

Dr. Schwartz, contrasting Israel’s improved economic position with his last visit there in October, 1953, said that “hundreds of new agricultural settlements are now firmly established, thanks to American Jewry’s support of this program through the UJA, while the acute food shortage, in vegetables and other edibles, has finally been overcome.”

“It would be criminal,” he declared, “if a shortage of funds due to relaxed sup-port of the United Jewish Appeal forced any slowdown in the pace and tempo of Israel’s drive toward economic stability. If Israel is to attain the economic strength necessary to offset Arab economic and political pressures, American Jews must not only continue but must intensify their support of the UJA.