United Hias Service will, during 1957, receive funds to supplement its regular budget from the United Jewish Appeal’s $100,000,000 Emergency Rescue Fund, it was announced today by William Rosenwald, UJA general chairman, following an agreement reached by the heads of both agencies.
“The inclusion of the United Hias Service as one of the agencies to benefit from the special UJA $100,000,000 Emergency Rescue Fund has been arranged in response to the greatest Jewish refugee crisis since the end of World War II and the DP era, “Mr. Rosenwald said. “The United Hias Service becomes a part of the Emergency Rescue Fund at a time when scores of thousands of Jews are already in flight, and all evidence points to the fact that more than 100,000 Jewish refugees will require the life-saving services of the UJA’s agencies in the critical weeks and months ahead.”
Murray Gurfein, president of the United Hias Service, said on behalf of his agency that “participation in the nationwide UJA’s $100,000,000 Emergency Rescue Fund by the United Hias Service is a big step forward in meeting the severe crisis faced by Jews overseas. “Whereas United Hias budgeted for 6,200 persons to be helped in their emigration and resettlement during 1957, it now appears that our agency may be called on to assist upwards of 15,000 persons,” Mr. Gurfein stated.
The Emergency Rescue Fund was originally set up to meet the needs of the United Jewish Appeal’s three constituent agencies in transporting and resettling 100,000 homeless Jews anticipated in 1957. The $100,000,000 was set on the basis of an estimated cost of $1,000 for transport and resettlement of an individual refugee during his first year in a new land.
Mr Gurfein urged all Americans who have in the past made contributions to United Hias to also give their support to the Emergency Rescue Fund, and pointed out that “in the face of this catastrophe which has overwhelmed thousands of human beings through no fault of their own, a greater standard of giving is needed to meet the tragic challenge of overseas problems in 1957.”
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.
