Aliyah is no longer main focus of Jewish Agency

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KIEV - "I no longer know what they want of me," a veteran Jewish Agency emissary (shaliach), who is now serving his third tour of duty in one of the former Soviet countries, complained last week. "They sent me here to bring Jews to Israel, and now the agency chairman comes along and talks to us about the need to work on preserving existing communities. And what about Zionism?"

Yet other emissaries, especially the younger ones, like the new focus. "I understand that our job today is less to bring Jews to Israel and more to bring Israel to Jews," said one. The Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) spent hundreds of thousands of shekels last week to bring all its staffers in the former Soviet Union to a week-long seminar in Kiev, the Ukrainian capital. All the senior JAFI officials also came. Executives answered questions about wages and benefits, and there were social and cultural activities. But a major topic of discussion was the agency's changing mission.

JAFI is an organization under attack. Private groups are bringing thousands of immigrants to Israel, undermining its decades-long monopoly. American donors are demanding wide-ranging changes in its management. Donations are declining. And immigration is also dropping steadily, making it unclear what JAFI's role should actually be.

Just over half of the world's Jews still live outside Israel. Most live in the West, and few are interested in leaving. The rising standard of living in the former Soviet countries makes mass immigration from there unlikely as well.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/953652.html

[Fredda Weinberg]

1. What a wonderful problem to have! n/t

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2. Jewish Agency envoy arrested over fraudulent conversions

The Immigration Police arrested the Jewish Agency Aliyah envoy to South America on Wednesday on suspicion that he provided immigration papers to 200 Venezuelan citizens despite the fact that he knew that they had undergone fraudulent conversions to Judaism.

On Wednesday, the Ramle district court extended the remand of Ilan Architecter, 66, a well respected employee of the Jewish Agency who ran the absorption center in Ra'anana for many years.

According to police the suspect confessed to the allegations, saying that he knew the Rabbi who converted the Venezuelans was suspect. Most of the Venezuelans were of indegenous descent who were convinced to convert by receiving promises of Aliyah benefits from the state.

The envoy told police that he wanted to be acknowledged as an excellent employee and therefore wanted to bring as many immigrants to Israel as possible.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/953917.html