Report to the ... Zionist Congress and to the Council of the Jewish Agency in ... · 1937-08-01 · 8.1937 · p. Seite 17

THE WORK OF THE JERUSALEM DEPARTMENT. The activity in Palestine of the Central Bureau for the Settlement of German Jews was fortunately stimulated during the period under review by the special efforts to expedite and increase immigration from Germany. As a result of the activity of the Council for German Jewry in London, and the co-operation with the Jewish Agency, as well as of the Youth Immigration Committees in various countries (especially that of Hadassah in America and the Women's Appeal Committee in London), coupled with the special measures taken through Haavara (in spite of the stringent regulations of the new currency law), it became possible for us, during this period of general diminution of immigration, to maintain German immigration fully, and even to secure a slight increase. The aspiration of German immigrants to settle on the soil was still further strengthened during this period. On the one hand, a reason could be found in the fact that immigration permits for immigrants without means from Germany, given within the scope of the Council for German Jewry's schemes, were only granted to those having had agricultural training, or at least to persons who were being given such training. Youth immigration showed a similar tendency towards rural life. Simultaneously, Haavara activity still further ameliorated the position of investments of immigrants' funds in agriculture and the support of colonising agencies catering to candidates for settlement. I. IMMIGRATION. The number of German Jews who came from Germany to Palestine by the end of May, 1937, was estimated at 40,000. From this figure should be deducted the 2,000 German Jews who had settled prior to 1933. As shown in the schedules in part II. 11,922 immigrants were of category A (1) (persons having LP. 1,000 and more each), while 12,777 were in Category C. (Labour Immigrants), the rest belonging to the categories of relatives, students etc. The percentage of German immigration within the large movement of newcomers during 1935 dropped to 13 per cent., but rose to 29 per cent, in 1936. During the period under review, the