Using private philanthropy as a “little Point Four program,” Jews in the United States have contributed almost half–a total of $416,000,000–of the billion dollars in aid which has gone to help the people of Israel since the establishment of the state, Rudolf G. Sonneborn, national chairman of the United Israel Appeal, reported to the organization’s board of directors’ meeting here tonight.
“The funds contributed voluntarily by American Jews, ” Mr. Sonneborn stated, “have been instrumental in creating for Israel, as it enters its sixth year, situations of productivity to make possible the integration of 700,000 immigrants. ” He pointed out that in addition to the philanthropic contributions during the past five years, the billion dollar sum included: $135,000,000 from the Export-Import Bank; $138,000,000 in U.S. grants; $311,000,000 in Israel bonds, loans, private investments, philanthropic campaigns in other countries and other sources.
Mr. Sonneborn said that more than two-thirds of the $416,000,000 in philanthropy came from the United Jewish Appeal of which the United Israel Appeal is the major beneficiary. “More than a million families throughout the country have joined through the UJA in developing a “little Point Four program” of aid which has been both of immeasurable help to Israel and its immigrants, and at the same time an unofficial adjunct of the U.S. Government’s program of bringing material assistance to democracies throughout the world,” Mr. Sonneborn said.
At the same time, he stressed that “although decidedly a debtor nation at the beginning of her sixth year, Israel has definitely emerged from the ‘toddler’ stage and is beginning to make her own way.” He cited as principle assets the four-fold increase in national income to more than $800,000,000 annually and the doubling of the labor force which currently numbers some 550,000 workers. The industrial yield, he said, has reached $400,000,000 a year while agricultural production rose to $160,000,000 during the past year.
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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.
