Jewish Agency Executive Approves Pincus Plan for Reorganization

A plan for the reorganization of the Jewish Agency, proposed by chairman Aryeh L. Pincus, was approved here today at a plenary session of the Agency executive,with only one vote in opposition. The sole negative vote was cast by Mapam member Z. Lourie, who wanted action taken at this time in principle only.

The plan was worked out by an interparty committee of nine Agency members, under Mr. Pincus’ chairmanship. It calls for reducing the number of Agency departments from 12 to eight. The plenary left only one question unresolved. That was whether there should be separate departments for general and Torah education, as at present, or one department of education. The matter will be decided by the Jerusalem executive. If it favors the status quo on education, there will be nine departments.

The plan calls for an aliyah and absorption department, which will include the functions of the economic department, the Professional and Technical Workers Aliyah and joint offices of the Agency and the Government, A Treasurers’ department will supervise staff matters and companies in which the Jewish Agency is a partner. The third department will handle agricultural settlement, and a fourth will handle the Keren Hayesod, the Foundation Fund.

The fifth will deal with youth and Hechalutz (pioneering in Israel). Another department will deal with education and culture, with the question of one or two education departments left for later. A department on organization will include information and external relations, including contact with Jewish communities abroad.

COORDINATING BOARD, ISRAEL CABINET TO MEET FOR FINAL DECISIONS

The same committee which worked out the reorganization plan was assigned the task of working out the details.

The decisions will be brought before a session tomorrow of the Agency-Israel Government coordinating board, because many of the Agency’s activities, such as those in housing and agricultural settlement for immigrants, are carried on jointly with the Government. The coordinating board session will meet with the Cabinet,

In debate prior to the voting, Mrs. Rose Halprin, of the American section of the Agency, urged that a special division for immigration from the West be established in a new department.

American members of the Agency will meet with the interparty committee in continuing sessions of the plenary to discuss procedures to implement the new plan in the United States. The plenary will continue until Friday.

In summarizing discussions before the vote, Mr. Pincus stressed the need for uniting the aliyah and absorption departments not only for reasons of economy but also because the extent of immigration to Israel now largely depends on the effectiveness of absorption of the newcomers. He said that a single department dealing with both immigration and absorption was in the interest of effective aliyah.