Report to the ... Zionist Congress and to the Council of the Jewish Agency in ... · 1935-08-01 · 8.1935 · p. Seite 402

Berkson, member of the Agency Executive, Messrs. S. D. Sorski (Haifa), Z. D. Pinkus (Tel-Aviv), E. Kaplan (member of the Agency Executive), B. Rosenblatt (Haifa), I. Reiser (Jerusalem), 1. Brawir, representing the Teachers' Council, and S. Kaplansky (Haifa), Director of the Technical Institute. The two years under review showed outstanding developments in many of the branches of activity of the Institute. The increase in the number of students in the Engineering Department, the accretion of strength in the teaching staff enlisted from the group of German-Jewish scientists, the extension of the scientific and class equipment, due mainly to the grant of the Palestine Government to the extent of £P. 10,000, for buildings and equipment, the creation of new engineering departments and the establishment of a new secondary Trade School, in addition to the existing school for artisans, the development of new branches of activity, such as daily trade courses for German immigrants and the organising of technical extensions in the Settlements—all these go to prove that the Technical Institute has largely overcome the crisis from which it suffered during 5692 and 5693, when the Agency Executive found itself compelled to withdraw its financial grant to the Institute. The increased immigration and the prosperity of the country have favourably affected the financial position of the Institute, which at present provides the major portion of its budget from its own sources. However, one must not lose sight of the fact that a solution to the material consolidation of the central higher grade institute for technical education in Palestine has not yet been found. The institute is still struggling with a chronic deficit of about <£P. 3,000 per annum, and no way has as yet been found for the repayment of the debts to teachers and workmen which accumulated during the years 5692-4 and reached a figure of about £P. 5,000. It is the duty of the Administrative Board to emphasise that the Technical Institute has carried on its existence for years in unfavourable financial circumstances without the means for repairing its buildings, which are a national asset of great value, nor for the extension of its laboratories and its library. A certain alleviation in the position will be brought about by the Government grant mentioned above. However, additional improvements naturally require additional expenses for their maintenance. 2. The Engineering Department. The number of students desirous of entering the Institute is constantly increasing, as a result of the fearful depression and a lack of all propects among the Jewish academic youth in the Diaspora. There is no possibility of taking in all those who apply to the Technical Institute for admission. If, for the academic year 5695, 350 applications were submitted by July, 1934, the number of applications for the year 5696 amounted to 850 by April, 1935, and there is no doubt at all that by the end of the current year the number of applications will exceed 1,000. j, 4°2