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Aliyah
Committee, AMTON Newsletter — Spring 2004
Who's
Afraid of Aliyah?
Michael
Landsberg is the World Zionist Organization's new Director
of the Jewish Agency's Israel Aliyah Delegation for North
America. He recently addressed the MERCAZ USA Board of Directors
and, rather than the expected Jewish Agency call for aliyah
(immigration), he called on North American Conservative Jews
to consider visits to Israel for "a year or two or more
to get to know us better". AMTON decided to explore this
idea further and caught up with Mr. Landsberg by cellphone
as he was waiting for a flight in Cincinnati. It quickly became
clear that Michael Landsberg is a man with a mission, trying
to invigorate the North American Jewish community about coming
to live in Israel.
AMTON:
Typically, most Jews who have immigrated to Israel have been
from distressed countries, and the numbers from comfortable
North America have been relatively low. Is it realistic to
expect a massive influx of North American Conservative Jews
to come to Israel now, in the fourth year of intifada, either
for short or long visits, never mind aliyah?
M.L.:
I think people here don't realize how different the situation
in Israel is from what you read in the papers and see on television.
I believe we have the potential to see lots more of you coming
to us, for many reasons. First, your readers may be interested
to know that although world-wide aliyah has gone down during
the intifada, immigration from the West has gone up. Now,
for the first time the proportion of Conservative Jews from
North America making aliyah is significantly increasing. Last
year, they represented 21% of the total of all people making
aliyah from North America, and this is nearly double their
numbers of recent years. Whereas aliyah from North America
has traditionally been the domain of the Orthodox, we are
excited to see our vision catching on.....
AMTON:
Even with the intifada? To what do you attribute this growth?
M.L.:
First of all, like in Israel, people seem to be "getting
on with their lives", and I think people both in the
U.S. and in Israel are adjusting to the fact that terrorism
is an unfortunate reality everywhere today. People worry about
terrorism in the U.S. We are all vulnerable. New forms of
economic assistance for new olim has been helping. A new organization,
Nefesh b'Nefesh (Soul to Soul), a fund-raising group in Florida
(money is raised from private donors with help from the Jewish
Agency) provides up to $20,000 to people making aliyah to
help defray costs or relocating. About 25% of all olim who
make aliyah receive assistance from Nefesh b'Nefesh. We have
a new Aliyah basket of entitlements for North American olim
provided by the Israeli government as well as a variety of
new programs, including free tuition for high school, bachelor's
and master's degrees, which help people to come, live with
us, study with us, in short, "try us out".
AMTON:
On one hand Prime Minister Sharon is asking for a massive
influx of aliyah but on the other hand you have also said
that we should "forget about aliyah, and just come for
long visits", as you said "try us out". A paradox?
M.L.:
Not really. Sure, I'd rather see everyone stay permanently,
but I want North Americans to see "aliyah" as an
opportunity. Come for a long visit, try us, and then I expect
that a lot of you will decide to stay with us. We know that
100% won't stay with us, but historically, even those who
return, come back with a greater understanding of us, knowledge
about us and our culture, and are better friends to us than
their counterparts who have never visited Israel or have come
for short sight-seeing excursions only.
AMTON:
Other reasons we should be thinking about "long stays"?
M.L.:
Israel is an adventure, and there are different ways to experience
it. Judaism filters in through language, walking down the
street. I think it's so important for everyone to know his/her
identity and what better way for every Jew to know his/her
identity than by experiencing Israel... Where is today's center
of Jewish life? Where do you see the growth of vibrant, contemporary
Jewish culture? Whether it's literature, films, theater, public
debate, philosophic discussions — things are happening
in Israel — we have Nobel Prize winners, Knesset debate,
a kosher army — you name it. The essence of today's life
in Israel is exciting — no where else can offer all of
this complexity today. We are experiencing a renaissance of
Jewish culture - but you must come and see it to understand
and feel it. By the way, you know that Israel produces more
books per capita than any country in the world - and they
are all in Hebrew!... I think the film industry, too... You
know, Israel is the only country in the world that planted
more trees than it lost in the last century?!.... And, with
Jews from 80 countries as well as many citizens of other faiths,
Israel can compete with New York as the multi-cultural capital
of the world.... Why, the question of "Who is a Jew"
- where is it going to be decided? In Israel.
We
need you, just as much as I think you need us. When you come
to us for "long visits", you get to know us better,
and of course, we expect you to like us better! There are
opportunities for sabbaticals in every field, training programs,
research opportunities in a variety of areas. All sorts of
new Israel Programs have been created just in the last few
years for people of all ages, with all kinds of interests,
to come individually or as a family. And, in "long trips",
there is a better chance that you will learn Hebrew, and you
will know so much more about us than if you come for two or
three weeks.
AMTON:
Why do you say "we need you" and why "from
North America"?
ML:
Because those who come from North America bring with them
a background rich in the traditions of knowing how to nurture
and grow freedom and democracy with responsibility and pluralism.
While it's true that Israel is a democracy, we are a young
democracy - only 56 years old - we don't even have a constitution
yet. You come with these core values and you can help us greatly.
Israel needs to continue to build itself and grow with the
spirit of moderation, to learn from people of all perspectives.
American Jews in Israel today are in the forefront of all
our movements of social, civic and political activism and
change. American olim started the women's movement, ecology
awareness, and more. But we need more of you...
Of
course, aliyah is the ultimate dream for us, to see you living
with us, working, producing, earning salaries, strengthening
our economy, and strengthening our traditions of democracy
and pluralism - this is our dream. Imagine what another 100,000
of you coming would do for us and for the Jewish people?*
*(for those of us who think this is a high number, 100,000
represents less than 2% of all North American Jewry, ed.)
Michael Landsberg is a former paratrooper, and a founding
member of Kibbutz Ortal. He held leadership positions in the
Kibbutz Movement and later was a shaliach (emissary) to various
Jewish communities abroad, primarily in North America. From
1997-2002, he served as Secretary General of the World Labor
Zionist Movement, until his arrival in New York.
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