The soon to-be-signed peace treaty between Israel and Egypt will develop “a new leaf” as far as aliya to Israel is concerned, according to Raphael Korlowitz, head of the immigration and Absorption Department of the Jewish Agency.
“There is no doubt that the state of war between Israel and its neighbor has been a factor that did not encourage aliya,” Kotlowitz said in an interview here with the Jewish Telegraphic Agency. “I believe that Jewish youth from all over the world will be willing to face the new challenge of building and developing Israel in peace conditions. I envisage that Israel will require more working hands, more scientists, technicians and intellectuals. I believe that we are entering a new era as far as Israel is concerned and I hope we will witness a meaningful increase in aliya to Israel.”
Kotlowitz, who was here to meet Jewish leaders and heads of Jewish organizations that deal with aliya, said that even without the arrival of peace, Israel is expecting a meaningful increase in the number of olim this year. He said that more than 40,000 olim are expected to arrive in Israel in 1979 compared with 25,000 that arrived in 1978.
“In the last few months there was a sharp increase in the number of alim, and the trend is likely to continue, ” Kotlowitz said. He noted that the exodus of Jews from the Soviet Union is larger than ever before and that it is hoped that more than 20,000 Soviet Jews will settle in Israel by the end of the year.
ISSUE OF ‘NOSHRIM’
He stressed, however, that this number could be much higher, if ways could be found to cut the number of “noshrim” (Soviet Jewish dropouts). He said that the problem of “noshrim” has become a major one and that one of the aims of his visit here was to discuss the issue with American Jewish leaders.
“Israel cannot compete with the United States” as far as the absorption of Soviet Jews is concerned, Kotlowitz said. “I also think that it is not fair that the noshrim are helped (to settle in the U.S.).” He declined to elaborate on this charge, but added: “After all, we bring them out of the Soviet Union, they emigrate on our (Israel’s) visas and morally we have the right to expect that they will come to Israel.”
As for aliya from other countries, Kotlowitz said that aliya is on the increase from the United States, England and France, although the numbers are still small. He said that 2865 new immigrants from the U.S. settled in Israel doring 1978 compared with 2451 in the previous year. “We have not yet reached a mass aliya from the U.S.,” he said, “but I hope that the number of American olim will increase with the new approach of dealing with different segments of American Jewry (such as religious or professional groups) on a separate basis.”
Kotlowitz said that in view of the prospects for increased aliya he hopes that the Israeli government will address itself to the new challenge and undertake a campaign to encourage aliya to Israel.
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