Aliya from the West will increase by 30 percent in 1976 if the estimates by various shlichim (emissaries) assigned to Western countries are correct. The forecast was made yesterday at a meeting of officials of the World Zionist Organization’s aliya department which is headed by WZO Chairman Yosef Almogi.
The emissaries reported that the number of applications for aliya in Western countries and the increasing number of potential olim from the West visiting Israel indicated an immigration of about 13,000 this year compared to 10,000 in 1975.
Almogi, accessing the meeting, denounce talk of increased unemployment in Israel as irresponsible and harmful to the cause of aliya. He cited job openings and professions where, he said. Workers were badly needed. Histadrut officials, however, are taking a different view. According to the trade unionists, unemployment will increase from 35,000 to 60,000 this year because of the government’s austerity economic program.
PAZ APPOINTED TO NEW COMMITTEE
It was announced here, meanwhile, that Eli Paz, who recently spent three years in the United States as North American representative of the Labor Ministry, has been appointed advisor to Almogi. Paz was named chairman of the committee set up by the WZO to encourage “yordim”–emigrants from Israel–to return home.
Jewish Agency spokesman Amnon Danker said that during Paz’s tour of duty in the U.S, he became well acquainted with Israeli emigrants and their specific problems. Paz served as a personal assistant to Almogi when the latter was Labor Minister and was active in his campaign for election as WZO and Jewish Agency chairman.
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.
