An understanding was reached in Jerusalem recently that the United Hias Service will not aid Soviet Jews who wish to leave Israel, particularly after they have been provided with jobs and housing there. The understanding was reached between the Jewish Agency and several Jewish organizations, including Hias. According to the understanding, the reason for this is that those Jews cannot be considered to be people in distress and Israel cannot be regarded as a country of distress.
Responding to inquiries based on news reports from Israel, Carl Glick, president of the United Hias Service, confirmed today that officers of Hias and others recently met with representatives of the Jewish Agency to discuss matters of common concern relating to Russian immigrants. Glick’s statement on behalf of Hias said:
“To date, the situation has been of limited concern. Almost 70,000 Russians have come to Israel in recent years and less than 500 have come from Israel and applied to Hias in Rome for assistance to immigrate to the United States, Canada and other Western countries. All these Russian immigrants who received Hias assistance had been cleared and referred to Hias by the Jewish Agency. The fact that less than one percent of the USSR Jews came to Rome from Israel is a great tribute to Israel, its people involved with absorption and the Russian immigrants in Israel.
“After a full discussion, it was agreed that to keep out-migration at minimal levels, the Jewish Agency would provide intensive counselling and guidance for Russian immigrants in Vienna and Israel. Hias, as an independent American migration agency, would continue to assist Jewish refugees in connection with family reunion and compassionate situations throughout the world.
“Russian Jews from Israel who seek Hias assistance in Rome will still require clearance and referral by the Jewish Agency. At the same time, in the interest of all concerned, the Hias staff in Rome has been instructed to carefully scrutinize the needs and status of all applicants.”
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.
