Friday, February 8, 1963
JEWISH WESTERN BULLETIN
Page Nine
The 'Yeridah' from Zion
by HERBERT FREEDEN
gicsl and economic reasons figures in Israel than in Ameri-Were it not for the fact that which imp?! citizens of various' ca or other Western countries, some of one's own friends and , , extreme sten' ^he official abstracts that have
neighbors are among those who;^^/^;-^ , , extreme step ^ published do not include
have quit Israel and were it not; leavmg Israel permanently.; important categories: 1)
for an occasional disturbance be- \ There is no budget for such a tourists who had come to Israel fore the Polish legation in Tel | study and this is all the more i with the intention of remaining Aviv, one would hardly know; regrettable; diagnosis is always ^ ^^t who, after some years of that such a thmg as Yeridah ex-1 ° residence, return to their origin-
ists. (Yeridah _ literally "going the first step toward therapy. | j^^^^^.' ^.^.^^^^ ^^^^^^
down" — IS the term by which | The few figures on emigration declare their intention to emi-
reliable index — the difference stance is the steadily increasing between arrivals and departures; proportion of old-time residents of Israel citizens and residents j''^niong the emigrants. For the at Lydda Airport and Haifa har-jl^irst few years after establish-oor. The statistics show that in! ment of the state, emigration the past few years, up until was restricted almost exclu-April 1958, about 100,000 people sively to newcomers. By 1955, left Israel. Taking into account | however, ''veterans*' — who or-the fact that a number of these! iginally hailed from such lands are students, public emissaries, I as Poland, Germany, Czechoslo-scientists on scholarships as well vakia and Hungary — account-as legiiiiTiate Israeli tourists vis- ed for 25% oi the total emigra-iting abroad, the total of out and lion. According to official esti-out emigrants cannot be more mates, their number is now clos-
emigration is known in Israel. | ti,a^ do exisr hcve ijeen compiled It is, of course, the antonym of 1 .
Allyah
'going up.") Israeli
officials maintain a tight-lipped silence about this phenomenon -and it is far easier to get from them the latest information on experiinents with soya beans or solar energy, on juvenile delinquency or archeological exploration than it is to abtain facts and figures on emigration.
Undoubtedly bureaucratic esprit de corps, as well as a misguided sense' of national loyalty, account in large ^art for this "conspiracy of silence." The civil servant will talk more . readily of his department's "successes" than of its '"failures" and the offi€iaI of the Ministry of Interior or the Jewish Agency (within whose range emigration as well as immigration falls) will therefore tend to minimize the problem. Moreover, emigration cannot be more than an incidental worry to these overburdened officials who are vastly more concerned with the absorption of incoming masses.
The Ministry of Finance seems to endorse the view of underplaying the seriousness of emigration. While in many countries, periodic analyses are pubr lished on emigration, the Treasury has not yet made available the funds- to conduct a scientific inquiry irrtd the extent of and the reasons for Yeridah. There are no precise figures and the government seems little inclined to provide them nor to investigate the sociological, psycholo-
by the Central Bureau for Statistics. An official abstract, issued by the Committee for Israel's Tenth Anniversary, states that during the ten years of independence 915,000 immigrants entered Israel and thar "emigration, 8% of the total, has been the lowest prevailing in countrie of immigration." As examples i cites the following emigration rates: U.S. (1908-1924), 34% Australia (1S06-1924), 70%; Ar gentina (1857-1924), 47%. The report might have added that thirty years ago a similar development took place in pre-Israe Palestine when nearly half of the immigrants of the Fourth Aliyah returned to Poland.
LOW PERCENTAGE
One reason for the low incidence of returnees is no doubt the fact that a large percentage of the new immigrants cannot, 'or political reasons, return to their countries of origin. This is especially true of those who came from Moslem lands. Furthermore, the bulk of the mass influx was publicly financed; immigrants who had no means of getting to Israel unassisted at this stage require an equal measure of financial aid to emigrate. How many will ulti-matelv leave the country can only be made apparent when the new immigrants will have saved t)u enough money for the return trip.
It is infinitely more difficult to arrive at correct emigration
grate but disguise their departures as temporary absences.
The first category completely evades the statistician and is therefore not included even in rough estimates. As long as such "residents" retain their visas md foreign passports, their com-ngs and goings are recorded as 'tourism." The second group ;the "Marrano" emigrants) is the result of a distinct climate of opinion still prevailing in Israel. While emigration is not restricted officially, it is branded as ies'picable and unpatriotic, a defection bordering on treason, and departing citizens therefore end to keep their real intentions ?ecret even from friends and rel-itives, to say nothing of the luthorities.
However, despite the lack of "•uthoritative figures on emigra-' ion, there is one comparatively
than 90,000. (Some of these emigrants, it should be mentioned, have returned to Israel, notably from Brazil and Turkey. In a few cases, the Jewish Agency has even subsidized the return —Aliyah.)
The high number of Israeli students studying abroad remains a matter of considerable concern, although such students are in no technical sense emigrants. In the academic year 1956-57, their number reached an all time high of 2,777, concentrated in the main in American, Canadian and British universities. A careful examination of the fields of study elected by the Israeli students would indicate that many of them could very well have pursued the same studies at home. It can almost be taken for granted that a certain proportion of the students, too, are emigrants in disguise. Incidentally, the total number to
of students enrolled at the Hebrew University and the Haifa Technion is between 8,000 and 9,000; every third Israeli student is thus studying abroad.
Another disquieting circum-
er to 35 or 40%. The United States is the lodestar for the majority (60^;) of these Yordim; Canada holds second place; 10'^ have returned to their native Germany. Meanwhile, a new trend in the emigration pattern has become evident. It appears *^hat some of the new immigrants from Poland consider Israel only as a transit point while trying to obtain visas for Australia and Brazil.
Nothing is officially know?! about the occupational composition of those leaving Israel. Among emigrants from the city of Haifa over the past five years, there were, according to a local source, 80 taxi drivers, 40 arti-■'^ns. 30 doctors. 20 businessmen, 12 engineers and 10 cafe owners As no official inquiries have been made about their reasons for leaving, these can only be guessed at. No doubt, in addition specific "Israeli" reasons, other factors come into play, there seems to be a definite atmosphere of unrest all over the world, an international insta-See "YERIDAH" (Continued on Page 12)
STAFF APPOINTMENT ANNOUNCED
FAims iNimAim cmim
1^ o
■•sX
The appointment of Nat Bent the 1961-62 term as boys' pro-
as teen worker for the Vancou- gram co-ordinator developing
ver Jewish Community Centre the junior and senior teen pro-
was announced today by Centre grams. He also carried out the
officials.
Mr. Bent, 27, was born in Vancouver. He graduated from Magee High school and at present is attending the University
of British Columbia majoring ^iod of employment with
co-ordination of the Y*s "So Ed"' program.
His other recreation experience includes an 18-month pe-
the
NAT BENT
in the field of Community Rec- Vancouver Parks board at Dun-^1 reation. bar Community Centre where he-
Mr. Bent has been working in was Saturday program co-ordi-the recreation field for the past nator and summer playground two years. Prior to joining the director. He was also associated Centre, he was associated with with the Gordon Neighborhood the Seattle Jewish Community house during 1960 as junior boys Centre as assistant director of and junior teen program super-Camp Benbow and supervisor visor.
of the Young Adult camp. g^^^ ^ ^^^^ ^^^j^^r to
He was also employed at the AZA and a past vice-chairman Vancouver East YMCA during of the Vancouver BBYO Council.
TEEN TIME" PROGRAMME
13-18-year-olds
Begins Tuesday, February 12
THEODORE BIKEL
EILAT CHAPTER OF HADASSAH is privileged to act as co-sponsor with Famous Artists in presenting a world renowned entertainment personality. Recording star, actor, singer, guitarist THEODORE BIKEL is scheduled to appear at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre on April 18. Some of the quotes of thpse who have seen Bikel perform run to such superlatives as: "Tremendous versatility, superb spellbinder, overwhelming audience captivation." These comments are an indication of the enjoyment that the audience can anticipate at Mr. Bikel's one night concert here in Vancouver. During the advance sale, choice seats are being made available at the Jewish Community Centre or by phoning AM 6-5366. Bikel concerts always atrract a full house audience so please reserve and pick up your tickets now and avoid disappointment later, says Eilat officials. Famous Artists are generously contributing a portion of the sales from tickels at the Centre to Hadass^h-
REGISTRATION
1. Tuesday, Feb. 12 at 6:00 p.m. in Room 201. Co-Ed Volleyball' follows.
2. Gym equipment is required for a'l athlefic events.
3. If unable to attend, p'ease send registration form in to the Jewish Community Centre.
PROGRAMME SCHEDULE
Every second Tuesday evening a Lounge Programme will be instituted in Room 202 featuring guest speakers, films, discussions and special interests.
Monthly Saturday night "Teen Dances" (Ages 15-18) and "Inter-Teen Parties" (Ages 13-15) will be held.
Sundays a Teen Lounge from 2:00 — 6.00 p.m. in Room 100 featuring chess, checkers and ping pong.
Special events:
Holiday Theatre Production: Purim Carnival, Third Seder
"TEEN TIME" HOUSE LEAGUE
Monday *Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Saturday
Sunday
6.30 Free
6:30 Volleyball Co-Ed
6:30 Girls Gym
6:30 Gymnastics Co-Ed
7:00 Special Events
or Open
5:00 Basketbal' Boys
Swimming events will be held as soon as each Youth Group selects their best swimmers and divers. House Leagues will be formed within the existing Youth Groups. * Alternate week to Teen Lounge Programme.
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