Oleh Status Question
My husband and I are planning to make aliyah within the next 1-2 years. We have been gathering information regarding the process and reading everything we can get our hands on as well as contacting a few organizations such as AACI and Nefesh B'Nefesh. During the course of my "research" I have read many articles and letters written by olim about their experience. Just today, I read a letter written by a woman who stated that her aliyah took longer to be approved because unbeknownst to her, she was already considered an Israeli citizen (though she was born in the US) because her father made aliyah 30 years ago, but then returned to the US and has remained there since. This is my quandry. I was born in the US to an American mother and a father who was an Israeli citizen prior to becoming a naturalized US citizen in 1958. He has been in the US ever since. My father was an Israeli citizen for some 11 years, even did army service back in 1947-48 (he fought in the Israeli war of Independence). Does that also make me an Israeli citizen automatically as well, even though he now holds an American citizenship? I'm not sure if he renounced his Israeli citizenship upon coming to the US. As I understand it, this kind of status can complicate any impending aliyah I might be planning. Also, how does one provide "proof" of Jewishness? My husband was born to jewish parents, although they are non practising jews. His grandmother is buried in a jewish cemetary here in the states. He also attended a reform synagogue as a child, and currently, together, he and I are members of a non affliliated synagogue in our community here. Thanks for answering my long winded questions!
My husband and I are planning to make aliyah within the next 1-2 years. We have been gathering information regarding the process and reading everything we can get our hands on as well as contacting a few organizations such as AACI and Nefesh B'Nefesh. During the course of my "research" I have read many articles and letters written by olim about their experience. Just today, I read a letter written by a woman who stated that her aliyah took longer to be approved because unbeknownst to her, she was already considered an Israeli citizen (though she was born in the US) because her father made aliyah 30 years ago, but then returned to the US and has remained there since. This is my quandry. I was born in the US to an American mother and a father who was an Israeli citizen prior to becoming a naturalized US citizen in 1958. He has been in the US ever since. My father was an Israeli citizen for some 11 years, even did army service back in 1947-48 (he fought in the Israeli war of Independence). Does that also make me an Israeli citizen automatically as well, even though he now holds an American citizenship? I'm not sure if he renounced his Israeli citizenship upon coming to the US. As I understand it, this kind of status can complicate any impending aliyah I might be planning. Also, how does one provide "proof" of Jewishness? My husband was born to jewish parents, although they are non practising jews. His grandmother is buried in a jewish cemetary here in the states. He also attended a reform synagogue as a child, and currently, together, he and I are members of a non affliliated synagogue in our community here. Thanks for answering my long winded questions!