North American Aliyah up 20%

[Dave Bender]

North American Aliyah up 20%

Hi all, The following article about a positive spike in Aliyah figures from North America was pubished in Ha'aretz on Wednesday, Dec. 31: 'Immigration from North America up 20 percent in 2003' By Shlomo Shamir, Haaretz Correspondent "NEW YORK - Despite the intifada and economic difficulties in Israel, the rate of immigration from North America has risen by about 20 percent in 2003, according to Jewish Agency statistics released Tuesday. "About 2,400 people immigrated from the United States and Canada in 2003, compared to about 2,040 in 2002, according to the agency's North American aliyah department. "In addition, the number of young North Americans who visited Israel on Jewish Agency programs has doubled in 2003 from the previous year, with more than 900 youth participating, the agency found. "Michael Landsberg, head of the Jewish Agency's North American aliyah department, told Haaretz Tuesday that most of the past year's immigrants are college-educated professionals under 35. The immigrants include a professor, doctors, engineers and families with many children, he said. "Landsberg also said there was greater awareness of the Naaleh program to support the immigration of youth who move to Israel without their parents. A group of 100 Jewish students has recently left for Israel to take a training course for young aliyah activists. For the first time, the group includes about 30 Russian-speaking students. "Landsberg cited the security situation as a reason for immigration, saying people want to help Israel in a crisis. He said potential immigrants are also attracted to Israel's opportunities for higher education." So who's on the next flight over? DB

 

[SupermanZW]

Response

For every immigrant from north America to Israel there are 20 immigrants from Israel to north America and this ratio keeps rising. It's the balance that matters, not the unidirectional immigration rate from north America to Israel.

 

[Dave Bender]

Aliyah/Yerida Ratios

Hi SupermanZW, What are you basing your claim of such high percentages on? While I certainly do not deny that there are many immigrants who return to their country of origin, especially in the first few years, I'm not so sure that the figures are anywhere near 20%. The breakdown of exactly who is going where (in Israel as well)is also an important consideration, since many return after a period abroad - me among them. And you - are you planning to leave? DB

 

[SupermanZW]

Answer

I base my claims on personal knowledge, 3 friends of mine immigrated from Israel to the north America (2 to Canada and 1 to the USA) in the last two years and I know about many planning to leave. The central boreau of statistics claims that in an average year 30000-40000 Israelis move from Israel to north America, and lately especially to Canada, because it got harder to immigrate to the USA. even if the figures were 20% of what I was talking about a ratio of 4/1 is still high, and believe me that the ratio of 20/1 is closer to reality, and the main reasons for that are the economic situation and the loss of security. I'm gonna decide whether I'm gonna immigrate or not after I graduate college, and I'm gonna decide according to the labor market and the economic situation then, it means that if I'll find a good paying job that would bring me to a high life quality I'd stay and if not I'd probably move to Canada to try my luck there, I can count on my professional experience and English level there.

 

[arthur gersten]

Leaving Israel

It is very difficult to leave your native country, Israel, and move to a new country. There are practical diffiuclties, such as not having family and friends nearby, not being part of the culture, etc. But there are also compelling reasons to stay in the only Jewish country in the world, Israel. Israel is the focus of the Jewish world. Israel's renewal is a great historic event for the Jews, including secular and religious Jews. On the negative side, Diaspora communities are dropping population due to assimilation. A significant proportion of Diaspora Jews are moving away from identification with the Jewish people. They become like the majority non-Jewish cultures, in personal relations, affinity, culture, and behavior. Many Israelis living overseas never return to live in Israel. Sadly, many Israelis overseas do not marry Jews, have kids or affiliate with the local Jewish community. Their ties with Israel fade over the years. Total assimilation occurs, albeit among a minority. I suggest that you consider diaspora only as a temporary alternative, if there is no work for you in Israel. Try every way possible to build a life in Israel.

 

[SupermanZW]

It depends

Opportunists rarely find anything hard and moving to another country makes not more than a tiny difference for them. There are a lot of immigrants that bring their family with them and most immigrants find friends at their new place if they're open and nice to their environment. As for culture even in one country there are many cultures and every individual takes part in the culture he feels that matches him the best or adapts the surroundind culture and profane in it. Despite Israel's being the only Jewish country in the world the largest jewish population of the world is in the USA, and beside that Israel becomes less Jewish and more a country of all of it's citizens because of the high propagation rate of the arabs. Some diaspora communities are dropping population and others aren't, it depends on how united they are, when I was in NJ the jewish community there seemed very united. Jews that their Jewish identity is important to them don't move away from identification with the Jewish people, that depends on every individual. Many Israelis iving overseas never return to Israel because they feel happier where they are now, if they were happier in Israel they would return. Many israelis overseas do not marry jews because it's not important to them, even if they were in Israel they wouldn't hesitate to marry a gentile immigrant with jewish roots (and there are about 500000 of them in Israel) or a foreign worker if they fell in love with him/her, but other Israelis would only marry jews, again it depends only on the individual. Affiliation with the local Jewish community also depends on the individual. Jews who want ties with Israel keep them, others don't, and it also depends on the individual. For me it's important not only to have a job but also that it would be the best paying I could get and to enable me the best life quality I could get, and it's also important to me to live in a country in which I could feel there is a better future for me, these days een Israel is losing its Jewish identity and within 30 years it might become an arab country, because of their enormous propagation, what would I be able to do then? For now I'm not even close to a decision where am I gonna live the rest of my life, I'm still a students and after I finish my studies I'll check if the labor market in Israel matches my expectations, then I might decide to stay in Israel or to work in Israel a few years in order to get an experience that would help me abroad or move immediately, it all depends on the situation then, for now I haven't decided anything and I keep all the possibilities open.

 

[Arieh10]

Aliyah from the U.S.

Don't be fooled by the numbers. The vast majority of those who immigrated to Israel were of the "Regligious" persuasion, who were persuaded by Mr. George Soros (since he paid all their debts and gave them $50,000 spending money). I want to know how many "secular" Jews made aliyah without any financial help from Mr. Soros or the Israeli government (like myself). As far as Michael Landesberg is concerned, he's full of it! The opposite of what he said is true: If there were no Intifida the number of immigrants to Israel would be much higher, and there is exponentially more opportunity to achieve higher education in America than in Israel.