A ray of hope for Rumanian Jews was seen today by Jewish leaders in Bucharest following advices which they received that negotiations were being conducted in Washington which might enable emigration of many Rumanian Jews to Palestine and other overseas lands.
The Jewish community in Bucharest was advised that the American Government may consider releasing part of the frozen Rumanian funds in the United States provided that the money be spent for facilitating Jewish emigration from Rumania. It is understood the Rumanian Government would not object to such an arrangement . The project is similar to the one in practice in Germany , where emigrating Jews receive their steamship tickets abroad, paid for in American dollars by the Joint Distribution Committee , provided they leave their funds in Germany for the use of charitable Jewish organizations there.
Since the Rumanian Government is now confiscating Jewish property and since Jews are not permitted to take out any cash from the country , the carrying out of the projected exchange plan would not meet with any technical complications. Any Rumanian Jew who could secure a visa to an overseas country could deposit his money and property with the Government and obtain in exchange a steamship ticket, paid for abroad from the Rumanian funds frozen in the United States.
Details of this plan are now in the hands of the State Department in Washington ,according to the information from Jewish sources in Bucharest . Interested American Jewish leaders are negotiating with the Treasury Department for the approval of the plan, it is stated.
Should the project be approved ,many Rumanian Jews would receive opportunities to emigrate from Rumania to various overseas countries, especially to Palestine . Despite the fact that relations between Rumania and Palestine are officially broken off , there are still many Jews in Rumania who would be admitted into Palestine since they possess Palestine immigration certificates.
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