The status and future of Soviet Jewish immigration to Israel and the problems of absorbing them were the major focus of discussions by members of the United Jewish Appeal’s Executive Committee at their seminar Just concluded in Williamsburg, Va., Paul Zuckerman, UJA General Chairman reported here today. The seminar is an annual event devoted to critical analysis of the current UJA campaign and problems of world Jewry. It also includes top level planning sessions for the forthcoming year and formulation of policy recommendations and strategy for fund-raising efforts in over 1000 American Jewish communities.
The UJA leadership was briefed by Louis A. Pincus, chairman of the Jewish Agency Executive in Jerusalem and Simcha Dinitz, director general of Premier Golda Meir’s office. Pincus re-af firmed the projection of 70,000 new arrivals from the Soviet Union and other countries during 1972, Zuckerman reported.
“A year ago,” Pincus said, “we expected about 45,000 new immigrants to Israel in 1972, but developments since then have resulted in this unanticipated new wave of immigrants.” He described the developments as “welcome” ones. He said “The Jews of the US and the rest of the world must meet the financial responsibility of taking care of these new arrivals.”
Dinitz told the UJA leaders that “in addition to the tremendous humanitarian burden you carry through your support of the UJA, you give all the people of Israel…the knowledge that we do not stand alone, that our brothers and sisters in the free world are with us and are proving their dedication daily through this common undertaking.”
Zuckerman praised the “deeply felt dedication” of the UJA Executive Committee members who indicated their readiness to give more in 1973 than in 1972.
Mail from Israel to Rumania bearing the “Let My People Go” stamp is being returned without delivery a Communications Ministry spokesman in Jerusalem said today. He said no official explanation was given.
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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.
