Declaring that some 7,000 immigrants are due to arrive in Israel this month and that more than 50,000 would enter during 1959, Dr. Dov Joseph, treasurer of the Jewish Agency, told a press conference here today that many of them may again be forced into temporary wood and tin huts for housing if more funds are not forthcoming for their absorption.
Reporting on the spirit which prevailed at the national conference of the United Jewish Appeal held last month in New York–at which he was one of the principal speakers–Dr. Joseph termed the conference a “success.” He pointed out that the conference had agreed upon the continuation of a special campaign as an emergency measure to help receive the new immigrants; that UJA leaders had agreed to “make up” shortages between UJA income in previous years and absorption costs; and that 1959 bid fair to exceed the income raised in the regular UJA drive last year.
In a review of what was being done in relation to the anticipated immigration wave, Dr. Joseph said that some 4,000 housing units would be completed by mid-year, but that this would fall short by 6,000 units–leaving that many families to be sheltered by families in cities or by relatives in cities or in temporary camps. The breakdown of professions and trades among recent immigrants from Poland, he said, was 37 percent professionals, 20 percent skilled laborers, and five percent farm workers.
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.
