United Israel Appeal Provided $145,614,000 for Israel in Four Years

Rudolf G. Sonneborn, who is completing this year four years as chairman of the United Israel Appeal, reported last night that UIA agencies spent a total of $254,563,000 for their program of relief, rehabilitation and resettlement since the time he took office in January, 1951.

In submitting a report to the board of directors, Mr. Sonneborn announced that he would not be a candidate for re-election at the annual meeting on January 23rd in New York. The report described the progress that Israel has made since 1951 as “strongly comparable” to the advances made in the United States between the depression years of 1932 and the recovery of 1937-38.

Of the total spent in Israel by UIA agencies since 1951, the UIA in this country provided $145,614,000. The outgoing UIA chairman said that the difference between the money spent and the funds provided from this country was made up by loans, campaigns in other countries, and German reparations payments in the form of goods and equipment.

“During the course of the last few years,” Mr. Sonneborn declared, “Israel has advanced from a state of profound economic dislocation and imbalance to the point today when she is making important stride towards self-sufficiency and increased productivity.” He stressed that despite these tremendous gains Israel still required large-scale assistance to cope with the imminent mass influx from North Africa and to complete its development program.

The UIA chairman pointed out that although he was stepping out of office, he would continue to give his time and efforts in the United Jewish Appeal campaign of which the UIA is the major beneficiary. “The American-Jewish community has accomplished no small feat in rescuing, rehabilitating and starting a people on the difficult path toward resettlement,” Mr. Sonneborn said.