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Community Currents
Southwestern Jewish Press, August 17, 1951,  page 2

By Albert Hutler, Executive Director, United Jewish Fund

120,000 Find Homes—Approximately 120,000 Jewish Emigrants entered the United States in the years since the end of the war under the regular Immigration Law and the Displaced Persons Act. During the first six months of this year 6500 Jewish Displaced Persons were admitted into the United States under the D.P. Act. An additional 10,000 Jewish Displaced Persons are expected to arrive here during the remaining six months of the year under the extension of the Act.  San Diego has settled some 65 families since the inception of the program in 1948. Three families have been resettled in the past two months in our community. Coming from all parts of Europe, New Americans are under the care of the Emigre Committee of the United Jewish Fund, the Jewish Welfare Society, and the San Diego Section of the National Council of Jewish Women. This work is living evidence of the lives that have been saved by monies raised in San Diego for the United Jewish Fund.

Coming Home—Ida Nasatir and Abe will be back in our community within the next sixty days. Speaking engagements have been made for Ida at the Temple Sisterhood, Tifereth Israel Sisterhood, Hadassah and the Council of Jewish Women. Her experiences will certainly be worth listening to. Other organizations desiring to have Ida as a principal speaker at one of their affairs should contact me for a date.

Advancement Made—The Jewish Welfare Society has announced in this issue the appointment of Henrietta Rubenstein as its Executive Secretary. San Diego is beginning to awaken t the value of professional leadership in the field of social welfare and community organization. It is hoped that the present professional personnel of functional, Mrs. Rubenstein and Esther Siegal, will be added to by the addition of a Community Center Activities Director and a supervisor for the Hebrew Home for the Aged. It is anticipated that there will be some criticism by those who are not too close to the picture. However, those who serve on the various boards in our community realize that a more efficient operation, a finer administration and a better relationship in the community, is established through a full time paid worker. And much to the surprise to the members of these boards there is still a great deal of work to be done by volunteers, and there is no loss of autonomy of the lay person.

Election Results — Election results in Israel ought to satisfy most American Jews who believe in democracy. Ben Gurion's party, the Mapai, increased its percentage by 3 to 37 percent of the parliamentary seats. The General Zionists took a good number of seats away from the Mapam, the left wing organization, and the Communists lost ending up with only 4 percent of the total. Reaction to these results have been very favorable in the White House and in our governmental agencies dealing with Israel.

Hottest Issue—The McIver Report on Jewish Community Relations is just out. It's the hottest issue in American Jewish Community life today. Interestingly enough the 10 largest communities in the United States sponsored the Report through the National Community Relations Advisory Council. After reading the Report these communities have approved it. However, it does not meet with the approval of several of the national organizations involved. The B'nai B'rith Anti-Defamation League has vociferously objected to the Report. The subject of the report will be discussed at a B'nai B'rith meeting in the very near future and it should bring out a very hot discussion.