TT 11/ Tr w wwwim•Pwwwwe Wqr Page 38—Suppletnent to The Jewish News—March 16. 1973 Housing for Immigrants: UJA-Agency Role By GOTTLIEB HAMMER Immigrant housing has always been one of the most serious problems in Israel. During periods of increased immigration, the demand for housing becomes even more acute and requires extraordinary efforts, both financial and technical. During the last 25 years, a variety of expedient solutions had to be found. While some of these remedies solved the short-term, more often than not they created long-term problems. Some of the stop-gap measures employed in the housing of new immigrants ranged from tents to tem- porary shacks of canvas, tin and wood. When Israel was able to begin construction of permanent buildings, the dwelling units were small and could not take into account the natural growth of families. Solutions had to be found, on a limited budget, for the pressing problems of the day. Thus, immigrant families who came to Israel dur- ing the 50s received units of between 300 and 600 square feet, while the immigrants of today receive units of between 700 and 1,000 square feet. This has created a tremendous gap between the early immigrants and those arriving after the Six Day War and this gap has raised new problems in terms of social, economic and education deprivation. For it is known that the lack of adequate housing affects the progress of a family in all of its pursuits. There is no question that enormous progress has been made in dealing with the problems of overcrowding during the past decade; however, it is estimated that today 50,000 families live in conditions of overcrowd- ing, three or more persons to a room. This statistic very often means eight or 10 or 12 persons living in two or three rooms, very often of substandard size and makeshift construction. We have been able to provide the necessary num- ber of housing units to keep up with the increased im- migration during the post-Six Day War period, but a lack of resources had made it impossible to attack the backlog of needs, specifically the building of adequate apartments for large immigrant families. The increased immigration did not take us by surprise, and through the Reconstituted Jewish Agency a housing committee was established, chaired by Jack D. Weiler of New York. Its efforts have certainly been felt in what is a complex area, and its definition of problems and recommendations for their solution is a positive step in utilizing the vast resources of the Jew- ish people. This Committee has now joined with the Ministry of Housing in creating the TACH (Tech- nological Advisory Committee on Housing). The com- mittee provides not only the necessary liaison but more direct response to the needs of the country in provid- ing the ongoing technological information required by the Israel building industry. Another development worthy of mention at this time is the creation by the Jewish Agency of Amigoor, a company set up to manage and maintain the immi- grant housing units owned by the Jewish Agency, the United Israel Appeal, and other philanthropic organ- izations. Upon its establishment, Amigoor took over the responsibility for 27,000 apartments, mainly in the de- velopment areas in the north and south of the country. This year Amigoor will have another 6,000 apartments turned over to it for processing. These apartments, especially those built in the 50s, require considerable maintenance and rehabilitation When originally built. limited funds did not permit proper planning and de- velopment. As a result, the Jewish Agency now must find the funds in order to provide for paving of streets, lighting, playgrounds, community centers and land- scaping. During 1972, the Israel building industry completed 48,000 housing units. This is approximately 10,000 more than the previous year, and reflects the deep con- cern of the Jewish Agency in trying to cope with this problem. This will make possible the housing of ap- proximately 55,000 to 60,000 new immigrants expected in 1972; 7,500 flats for needy young families and ap- proximately 10,000 cases of rehousing of large immigrant families. In 1972-73 the Jewish Agency budgeted $298,000,000 for housing. In spite of heroic fund-raising efforts, there simply wasn't enough money to go around and this budget item was cut to $149,000,000. In short, the problems continue and the efforts to find solutions go on. During 1973 we will have to find the means to create more than 50,000 housing units, to improve and expand 5,000 old units, and to find the means by which new immigrants and young married couples will be able to acquire housing, either through rental or long term financing. The Jewish Agency, as the representative of world Jewry, has been called upon to solve the distress of thousands of families whose chief hope for the future lies in improved social conditions. The Housing Com- mittee will continue to call on the expertise of Jews , around the world to assist in this problem. And the United Israel Appeal through the United Jewish Ap- peal will continue to ask every Jew to do his share to see to it that the massive material resources re- quired for the solution of immigrant housing problems in Israel will be made available to the Jewish Agency. . Demographic Israel Statistics Population Jews Non-Jews Total 1949 1972 650,000 341,100 2,736,000 474,000 991,100 3,210,000 1948.49 1972 Education Primary schools Secondary schools Institutions of Higher Learning Research Institutes Enrollment in Israel schools Number of students in higher learning PhDs per year in science 467 39 1,500** 250** 2 15 14 60 150,000 1,000,000 1,800 10 45,000* 200 •Third highest rate in the world after U.S. and Canada. "Calculated according to official rate of growth estimates by the National Authority for Economic Planning. Employment (in thousands) 1950 Agriculture Industry and mining Building Transport and communications Utilities, commerce and services 73 89 37 28 194 1972** 92 270.5 85.2 88.5 294 ••Calculated according to official rate of growth estimaraS by the National Authority for Economic Planning.