Thousands of Polish Jews released from exile in Soviet Russia are now concentrated in Turkestan and Buchara in need of immediate aid, it was reported here today by Elihu Dobkin, head of the immigration department of the Jewish Agency, at a conference launching a relief campaign for Jewish refugees from Poland. Many of these Jews would be permitted to leave Russia for Palestine, he said.
Mr. Dobkin pointed out that while thousands of able-bodied Jews are wandering as refugees in various parts of the world without being able to enter Palestine, local agriculture and industry is suffering from acute shortage of labor. “We await impatiently the new immigration schedule which was to have been issued by the Palestine administration last month for a period of six months, and which would enable the entrance of new immigrants into the country,” Mr. Dobkin declared.
The danger which thousands of Polish Jews face in Shanghai as a result of the serious situation in the Far East was discussed at the conference. It was emphasized that the developments there necessitate speedy action and it was reported that a Palestine Office has been opened in Shanghai with a view towards making preparations for emigration to Palestine of those refugees who will be able to enter Palestine under the new labor schedule.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.