December 18, 2013

Should Israel Help Save America’s Jewish Community?

By: Yori Yanover Published: December 17th, 2013 Latest update: December 18th, 2013 Israeli olah proudly showing their new ID cards. Instead of investing in strengthening Jewish centers in diaspora, Israel must focus on one narrow mission: bring everyone home. Israeli olah proudly showing their new ID cards. Instead of investing in strengthening Jewish centers in diaspora, Israel must focus on one narrow mission: bring everyone home. Photo Credit: Oren Nahshon/FLASH90 On the list of really difficult dilemmas, this has to be in the top 10. Should the State of Israel, fast becoming the biggest—and certainly the most Jewish identified—Jewish center in the world, make an effort to save the second largest Jewish center from disappearing? According to an AP report Monday, headlined "Israel reaches out to save US Jewish community," more than 100 Israeli leaders gathered with Jewish-American counterparts in Jerusalem last month to discuss the "daunting mission" of saving Jewish life in North America. In my opinion, Israel must invest only in one, narrow, even narrow minded effort: bringing Jews from the West to Israel, before it's too late. Be the immigration country you're supposed to be. Instead of spending money on strengthening Jewish identity in countries where such an identity is borderline meaningless—create better incentives for Jews to make Aliyah. The economic crash is not going away any time soon in the U.S. and Western Europe, even as things look less terrible than they did 5 years ago. Israel should make it its business to entice a million Western Jews to make the move, by offering them a better life in the Jewish State. Having made the move myself, with my family, only two years ago, I can tell you that besides the great weather and spiritual advantages, Israel also has a robust economy, where an educated Jew can make a future for himself or herself, and a fantastic healthcare system, where no one, but no one is left behind. But Israel should invest in making its system easier for newcomers to navigate, and, most crucially, create attractive housing opportunities across the country. According to AP, Israel has invested more than $125 million trying to bring young Jews to visit, as a way of strengthening their ties with the Jewish homeland. More than 300,000 young Jews from around the world have been brought over by Birthright, with funding from Israel and Jewish philanthropists.

Read more at: http://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/should-israel-help-save-americas-jewish-community/2013/12/17/0/?print

By: Yori Yanover - December 17th, 2013

Instead of investing in strengthening Jewish centers in diaspora, Israel must focus on one narrow mission:

Bring everyone home.

On the list of really difficult dilemmas, this has to be in the top 10. 

Should the State of Israel, fast becoming the biggest—and certainly the most Jewish identified—Jewish center in the world, make an effort to save the second largest Jewish center from disappearing? 

According to an AP report Monday, headlined "Israel reaches out to save US Jewish community," more than 100 Israeli leaders gathered with Jewish-American counterparts in Jerusalem last month to discuss the "daunting mission" of saving Jewish life in North America. In my opinion, Israel must invest only in one, narrow, even narrow minded effort: bringing Jews from the West to Israel, before it's too late. Be the immigration country you're supposed to be. Instead of spending money on strengthening Jewish identity in countries where such an identity is borderline meaningless—create better incentives for Jews to make Aliyah. 

The economic crash is not going away any time soon in the U.S. and Western Europe, even as things look less terrible than they did 5 years ago. Israel should make it its business to entice a million Western Jews to make the move, by offering them a better life in the Jewish State. Having made the move myself, with my family, only two years ago, I can tell you that besides the great weather and spiritual advantages, Israel also has a robust economy, where an educated Jew can make a future for himself or herself, and a fantastic healthcare system, where no one, but no one is left behind. But Israel should invest in making its system easier for newcomers to navigate, and, most crucially, create attractive housing opportunities across the country. According to AP, Israel has invested more than $125 million trying to bring young Jews to visit, as a way of strengthening their ties with the Jewish homeland. More than 300,000 young Jews from around the world have been brought over by Birthright, with funding from Israel and Jewish philanthropists.


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