American Jewry could “substantially increase” its contributions to the various projects carried on by the Jewish Agency “and still not suffer injury,” Dr. Dov Joseph, treasurer of the Jewish Agency, declared here today in a financial report presented before the Zionist Actions Committee.
Dr. Joseph made it clear that the same kind of increase expected from American Jewry should come from other Jewish communities around the world. The report showed that, since the creation of the Jewish State in 1948, contributions have totalled $1,117,000,000. Of that total, Dr. Joseph said, $650,000,000 came from various fund-raising campaigns, including the United Jewish Appeal; Keren Hayesod, fund-raising arm of the World Zionist Organization; and a special campaign for youth immigration to Israel.
Long-term loans, including advances to the Jewish Agency from the Israel Government,–totalled $234,000,000. Other income included: $120,000,000 under the West Germany-Israel reparations agreement, and from the proceeds of heirless property in Germany; $28,000,000 from international organizations; $24,000,000 from Israel Government participation; and $61,000,000 from miscellaneous collections.
The bulk of the receipts, a total of $502,000,000, was spent on agricultural settlements, enabling 130,000 newcomers to Israel to gain a livelihood in 460 new agricultural units. Some $430,000,000 was spent on immigration, and on housing for immigrants. The remainder was divided between expenditures for health services, and for education and cultural activities in Israel as well as in countries outside Israel. Also for other Agency departments.
Dr. Joseph presented a budget for the fiscal year 1959-60, totalling 235,400,000 Israeli pounds. Telling the Actions Committee that the division of proceeds from fund-raising campaigns, as between Israeli needs and local requirements, is unsatisfactory, Dr. Joseph stated: “The part set aside by local communities does not stand in just proportion either to Israel’s needs or to the desire of the contributors for Israel progress and constructive absorption of our immigrant brethren.”
Most of the budget allocations for 1959-60 are the same as last year’s, except for what Dr. Joseph termed a “regrettable” reduction in the budget for youth immigration. The budget for training youth as Halutzim was increased “in order to strengthen the departments working among youth and the Halutzim movement,” said Dr. Joseph. The increase is 430,000 pounds ($236,500).
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