Rabbi Chaim Douek, former Chief Rabbi of Egypt from 1952 to April 1972, arrived this afternoon with three members of his family at Kennedy Airport. The 68-year-old rabbi, who had been residing in Paris since he left Egypt last spring, was greeted by relatives and officials of United Hias Service, Synagogue Council of America and the Rabbinical Council of America. Rabbi Douek was accompanied by his daughter, Pauline; his son, Jacques; and his daughter-in-law, Rose,
The rabbi, who underwent a minor operation while in Parts, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency he wan in “good” health and that he will settle in Brooklyn where he hopes to serve in a synagogue “if God will help.” He said he left Egypt “in a miracle with the help of God.” Rabbi Douek, who indicated he was extremely tired after his trans-Atlantic flight, added only that he will stay at the home of his daughter, Angele.
His arrival here was made possible with the help of Hias, which has helped resettle 16,000 Egyptian Jews since the Suez crisis of 1956. Resettlement here was arranged through the New York Association for New Americans (NYANA).
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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.