Zionist Congress Considers Appeal to Soviet Russia to Permit Emigration of Jews

The possibility of appealing to the Soviet Union and the satellite countries to permit the emigration of Jews to Israel was one of the subjects considered today at the World Zionist Congress here, following a review on Israel’s foreign policy given by Foreign Minister Moshe Sharett at the Commission on Political Affairs.

Mr. Sharett discussed a wide ranges of Israeli foreign policy problems. A suggestion was made at the Commission–one of the major commissions of the Congress–to take up not only the problem of the emigration of Jews from countries behind the Iron Curtain, but also the arrests of Zionists in these lands.

At a press conference today, Ezra Shapiro, chairman of the Commission on Fundamental Problems, which is considering the “Jerusalem Program”–setting forth the tasks and aims of the Zionist movement in the coming years–reported that the overwhelming majority of the members of his group agree on the need for this Congress to formulate a program to supplement the Basle Program, which called for the establishment of a Jewish state, and which many delegates consider to have been consummated.

Mr. Shapiro also disclosed that Berl Locker and Eliahu Dobkin, chairman and head of the organization department, respectively, of the Jewish Agency in Jerusalem, addressed the Commission. Mr. Dobkin, he revealed, proposed a formula which would have the program state that “Zionism aims at the redemption of the Jewish people through the ingathering of its exiles to Israel and the strengthening of the State of Israel.” Mr. Shapiro said that this suggestion was made along with a number of others, all of which are still under discussion.

COMMISSION SEEKS ALLOCATION OF $2,800,000 TO BRING CHALUTZIM TO ISRAEL

Joseph Israeli, chairman of the Commission on Youth and Halutz, told the press conference that the body had before it a suggestion that 1,000,000 pounds ($2,800,000) be allocated for educational activities aimed at bringing young Jewish immigrants from all over the world to Israel to help in its development. Mr. Israeli, who pointed cut that this is about three times the sum spent for this purpose by the World Zionist Organization last year, added that members of the Commission seem inclined to vote an even larger sum than 1,000,000 pounds.

He reported that Mr. Dobkin had recommended to his commission that it adopt a statement to the effect that the “Congress affirms that the education of Jewish youth masses in all countries outside Israel for the ingathering of the exiles and the settlement of the wastelands of the country is the central task of the World Zionist Movement.”

At a ceremony here scheduled for noon tomorrow the Jewish National Fund will transfer to Dr. Pinhas Churgin, president of the American Mizrachi Organization, the deed to a parcel of land at Ramath Gan on which the organization plans to erect Barilan College, named in honor of the late Rabbi Meir Berlin. American Ambassador Monnet Davis will attend the ceremony.

Meanwhile, American Mizrachi delegates to the World Zionist Congress here met with Premier Ben Gurion today. During a 45-minute interview, the Premier expressed interest in the College. The same group also met with Chief Rabbi Isaac Herzog, whom they assured that it was not planned to establish a rabbinical seminary at the college.