Dollar Crisis Hits Program with Massive Fiscal Deficit New Service
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ORGANIZATION FOR REHABILITATION THROUGH TRAINING VOLUME XXVII, No. 2 Published by the American ORT Federation Summer 1973 Dollar Crisis Hits Program precision surgery, with maximum in- sulation for the Israel program and other basic services. "None of these With Massive Fiscal Deficit proposals for economy will endanger The devaluation of the dollar has days, not only was the dollar devalued, the base of our work, its quality and had a drastic effect on the ORT but the currencies of our major ex- its potential for further develop- budget. The ipact has been of such penditures in the Diaspora were de ment", said Braude. massive proportions as to threaten the facto devalued at an even higher rate. The meeting approved machinery survival of a number of programs un- The U.S. decreed a 10% devaluation. through which national ORT groups less substantial new funds are forth- But the Swiss franc is up 22% and would set in motion appropriate coming this year and next. the French franc 16%. Even currencies funding activities. The American These are the inescapable conclu- which were considered softest grew ORT Federation and Women's Am- sions of the international currency up- awfully hard as we started to buy erican ORT pledged to alert their heaval's effect on ORT financing fol- them", said Braude. friends and members to the emer- lowing the plummeting of the dollar Braude outlined and the meeting gency situation. on February 28th. This is the second approved a series of ten points of The third action taken was to call downward plunge in dollar purchas- fiscal retrenchment, program cutbacks, for the convening of an Extraordinary ing power in the countries where postponement of planned expansion International ORT Congress in ORT operates in the last 18 months. and some educational shutdowns. The Europe in early 1974, which will plan While the Israel program, the larg- whole package amounted to inevitable ORT developments for the long pull. est in ORT, is not directly effected since the Israeli pound is pegged to New Service for Soviet Arrivals How to match a Soviet newcomei's mandated a broad scope. It has been previous job skills to its Israeli equiv- put into action in 24 Absorption Cen- alent has been a naggingly persistant ters around the country and has been roadblock to the immigrant's smooth- charged with developing courses for er adjustment to Israeli life. Experts 2,000 newcomers this year. have expressed the view that the A special feature of this ORT-con- whole process of absorption hinges on ceived approach is that it comes into this. In the absence of an assured oc- effect where standard ulpan Hebrew cupational career equivalent to what instruction leaves off. Ulpan has he had left behind, frustration and reached its goal when the recent im- doubt set in. migrant has acquired enough Hebrew The Institute for Adult Training, for daily use. The ORT program sets a joint ORT-Labor Ministry venture, its aim at providing occupationally has been assigned by the Ministry of functional literacy in Hebrew. Absorption the task of aiding a broad Relevance The ORT School for the Deaf in Casablanca spectrum of skilled and professional Its core curriculum stresses techni- may be a victim of the dollar crisis. newcomers to ease their way into the cal Hebrew and technical English, the dollar, it cannot escape wholly Israel economy, applicable to the newcomer's profes- since dollars are scarce to begin with. The Institute has already pre-tested sional discipline. This is rounded out ORT Israel is also saddled with an and found effective a program of corn- with intensive immersion in the ways accumulated deficit of over $1,000,000. bined language and job orientation of Israeli economy and government. "We met last January 28th and instruction that has all the earmarks Specialty classes are held for those adopted a budget which, if not ideal, of a breakthrough on this vexing prob- with academic, managerial, adminis- seemed viable", reported Max A. lem of social and human adaptation trative and craft backgro unds. Braude, ORT Director General, to to the demands of a new country and Strength of the program lies in its an emergency session of the World culture. More than 800 recent ar- capacity to offer something relevant ORT Union Executive Committee in rivals passed through its courses earl- to every kind of immigrant, and that May. ier this year. is why its operation is filled with so "Then very quickly, within ten The new program has now been much hope. School on the site of the Sir Ellie Kadoorie Jewish School. Later, when it became possible to start a Girls' School, we were fortunate enough to find a freestanding three-story build- ing in a good neighborhood." Other problems arose which needed special handling, according to Guedj "While caste has been eliminated in India," he says, "remnants of the caste system remain. For example, we had to teach our boys that cleaning their tools and machines after use was part of a mechanic's job, and not some- thing that could be left to a man who is only a cleaner." The emerging freedom of women was another situation that needed ex- planation, says Mrs. Sophie Corley, Director of the Girls' School. Machine shop at the ORT Polytechnic for Boys in Bombay. Emancipation "When we first decided to open a Operation Bootstrap—Bombay Version section for hotel training for girls," "This year, for the first time, some- something of a mystery and its begin- she says, "we met with resistance from thing happened that I have been nings are lost in mythology. One story families who felt that their daughters waiting a long time to see. has it that the population stems from should be sheltered from meeting "Two of our graduates emigtated seven couples who were shipwrecked strangers. We solved the problem by and came back to visit us as tourists. off the west coast of India in Biblical taking parents on a tour of the better I don't know if outsiders can tealize times and found refuge there. Most hotels where they could see the work- what this means. The idea that ex- modern historians place the Jewish ing conditions and realize that hotel students of our schools could even presence in Bombay at the time of work was dignified and interesting as consider travel for pleasure was un- the rise of the Portuguese empire in well as being rewarding employment." heard of just a few years ago." Asia in the 15th century. "We can truthfully say that any The speaker was Joseph Guedj, Di- Aside from the strong adherence to Jewish child in Bombay who wants rector of ORT India, and he was dis- their faith, Bene Israel are undistin- an education can attend the ORT cussing two graduates in mechanics guishable from their fellow citizens to schools, and we feel that this is great lrom ORT Bombay Boy s school who most Western observers. Bene Israel progress," says G.L. Gabriel. had moved, with their families, to girls and women almost always dress Beersheba, Israel, after completing in saris and comb their hair in the their studies. On arrival both found long Indian fashion. The men look KT bulletin well-paid jobs and both adapted well and dress the same as their non-Jewish r.71ory .0--a.,`.7.7,0N -RouG„ Tp p IN IN. to their new way of life. During their counterparts. Summer 1973 Like other citizens of Bombay, the Published quarterly in Spring, Summer, vacation period they had returned to Fall and Winter Bene Israel speak Marati, one of the Bombay and had included a visit to Vol. XXVII, No. 2 Annual subscription 50c their school as part of the holiday, more than 300 languages of the In- Cable Address: AMORTFE13, New York dian subcontinent. Hebrew is a popu- American ORT Federation Guedj explained. 817 Broadway, New York, N.Y. 10003 lar second language and, depending Responsive Tel. 6774400 on the educational level, English is ORGANIZATION FOR REHABILITATION ORT India is one of the smaller THROUGH TRAINING used as the lingua franca, held over Second class postage at New York, N.Y. school systems in the ORT network, from the British rule. OFFICERS — Dr. William Haber, President; designed to fit the 15,000 Bene Israel Charles J. Bensley, Chairman, Executive Com- Establishment of ORT in India was mittee; Shelley Appleton, Chairman, Administra- —the Jews of Bombay. It is also tive Committee; George Backer, Honorary Presi- not easily accomplished says G. L. dent; Hon. Maurice Bernhardt, Honorary Chair- uniquely responsive to the real needs Gabriel, President of the ORT man, Administratile Committee; George J. Mintzer, Honorary Chairman, Executive Committee; Shelley of an abyssmally poor community, Committee. Appleton, John F. Davidson, Mrs. David M. Gold- that yearns to free its youth from its ring, Louis Hollander, Chaim Miller, Harry H. Indigenous Platt, Mrs. Monroe M. Rosenthal, Joseph S. chronic fate of unemployment, near— Spivack, Bruce B. Teicholz, Vice Presidents; S. David Gamso, Treasurer; Leonard D. Bell, Asso- hunger and functional illiteracy. "In order to start our school," he ciate Treasurer; Matthew Schoenwald, Secretary; says, "we first had to find a proper Paul Bernick, Executive Director and Assistant The program was begun in 1962. Secretary. The American ORT Federation repre- Last year it had 393 students, 210 boys location. This involved a great deal sents the World ORT Union, with which it is affiliated, in the United States. ORT is devoted and 183 girls, including children in of searching since the population to the vocational training and economic recon- density of Bombay means that land ttruction of Jews throughout the world.