A
new lobby in the Knesset to improve the absorption of immigrants from
Western countries will be founded by MKs Gilad Erdan (Likud) and Yoel
Hasson (Kadima) on Tuesday.
A man blows the shofar after making aliya [illustrative].
Photo: Ariel Jerozolimski
"There
are special issues that olim from the West need to deal with, and we
want to make sure that the State of Israel is prepared to help them,"
Hasson told The Jerusalem Post on Thursday.
Tuesday's meeting at the Knesset will be attended by
representatives of the Jewish Agency and independent aliya
organizations Nefesh B'Nefesh and AMI, as well as Immigrant Absorption
Minister Ya'acov Edri (Kadima) and individuals interested in increasing
aliya.
Between 40 percent and 45% of the world's Jews reside in the
United States, and together the US, France and Britain contain around
90% of Diaspora Jewry.
This demographic reality has led the government to seek new ways to encourage so-called "aliya by choice."
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