The Russian Absorption Committee of the United Jewish Fund of Englewood and Surrounding Communities has adopted a resolution expressing concern about “the increase in the number of Soviet Jews receiving exit visas who opt to come to the United States instead of Israel” and suggesting a “guide to reverse the trend of destination so that a larger number of (Soviet) Jews make aliya to Israel.”
George Hantgan, executive director of the UJF, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that the resolution, unanimously adopted two weeks ago, grew out of concern by local UJF members and himself about the increasing percentage of Soviet Jews who have opted to come to countries other than Israel. He noted that this concern was voiced by UJF board members and himself at “professional,” “lay and professional” and “lay” meetings on Soviet Jewish emigration.
“Our Russian Absorption Committee has felt that all the information we have on this problem has only attacked the surface manifestations and not enough positive steps have been taken on a national and international basis,” Hantgan said. He stated that it is the committee’s hope that “more communities will use the resolution as a starting point of suggestions. We recognize that the document is not a cure all, but aspire for further discussion and refinement throughout this country and Israel. If the process results in positive steps to increase aliya to Israel, while still holding to the principle of ‘freedom of choice,’ then we will be satisfied.”
STEPS TO BE TAKEN
The resolution, which supports and reaffirms the belief that every Soviet Jew has the right to emigrate and receive the necessary documents enabling him to do so without hindrance, suggests as a first step that “Soviet Jews exiting the USSR shall stop for one day only in Vienna and shall then be flown directly to Israel, there to be housed in an absorption center until their final plans are made.” This will, in effect, the resolution notes, deprive the Soviet Union of one excuse to curtail Soviet Jewish emigration.
Once in Israel, every creative approach should be used to make aliya attractive, “including constructive attempts through seminars and other experiences to give Soviet Jews a background on Israel, Jewish identity and Jewish culture.” Even Jews who decide immediately to apply for visas to other countries “shall be encouraged and given an opportunity to travel throughout Israel in order to become familiar with the country and people,” the resolution continues. “American Jewish communities (should) earmark some of the funds they now expend on Russian absorption to go to each Soviet Jewish family who decides to stay in Israel. This must be in the form of an additional grant.”
If the family desires to go to another country, after this experience in Israel, and that country is the United States, “it be made clear to the family that limited grants and loans will be made available by the American Jewish community. An attempt to standardize grants for each family ought to be made on a national and regional basis,” the resolution states.
If these steps are undertaken, the resolution notes, Israel will have an additional opportunity to encourage aliya; “the monies now spent on the ‘holding period’ in Rome will be expended in Israel which needs this additional income”; and every Soviet Jew, after this “holding period” who still desires to come to the U.S., “will know that his economic status in the U.S. will be no better than if he remains in Israel. Actually, we must make Israel more attractive economically than the U.S. for the Soviet Jews by grants and additional supplements to those remaining in Israel.”
The resolution also recommends that a number of steps be taken in line with the committee’s recommendations. These include: “For the next three months, the United Jewish Fund will continue to resettle Soviet Jews in the local community while still continuing its obligation to families resettled here”; “Limited grants will be made locally, other costs of resettlement will be in the form of loans” and “The Soviet Jew who opts to come directly to America without even trying to make a go in Israel will no longer have a preferred status over the Soviet Jew who tries to succeed in Israel.”
Early this year, the resolution states, the UJF committee will review any changes in the pattern of Soviet Jewish emigration.
CORRECTION In the Jan. 4 issue of the Daily Bulletin, Aharon Yadlin was mistakenly identified as the former head of Kupat Holim, the Histadrut sick fund. The former head is Asher Yadlin. Aharon Yadlin is the Minister of Education.
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