WZO’s vice-chairman says there are “barriers and difficulties in absorption” for French Jews which must be broken down.
By David Isaac, World Israel News
The near-term goal is 50,000 Jewish immigrants from France with many more to come.
That’s the plan developed by World Zionist Organization Vice-Chairman Yaakov Hagoel. He presented a call for action in a letter recently handed to Israel’s Minister of Immigration and Absorption Pnina Tamano-Shata.
In the letter, he says 50,000 French Jews can arrive in the short-term and another half-million in the next few years. He said a list of businesses willing to hire the new immigrants should be compiled. He also said Israel should invest and subsidize the immigrants’ arrival to soften their landing.
“Every shekel we invest in a new immigrant from France will return to us in the form of 15 shekels in about 10 years,” Hagoel said.
“Beyond our worthwhile investment in the country, we will gain a new spirit from cohesive and strong communities, which have been together for centuries. The State of Israel cannot look to the future without bringing French Jews to Israel,” he said.
“The situation in France is deteriorating every day,” Hagoel said, noting that Jews are leaving France because of anti-Semitism. Only they’re choosing countries other than Israel. Some of those countries include Canada, England and even Australia.
“Since 2015, there has been a decline in the rates of immigration of French Jewry due to barriers and difficulties in absorption,” he said.
But he said, “The corona crisis, the deteriorating economic situation and the strengthening of radical Islam create an opportunity that will not return to breaking the barriers of bureaucracy and bringing in French Jewry.”
“All government ministries must mobilize for the issue and bring the Jews of France to Israel,” Hagoel said. “It will be the sorrow of generations if we do not press on the gas now and bring the Jews of France to Israel.”