US Jewish outcry over Israeli expat 'return' ads

[Jos]

The Israeli government has ordered adverts that urge Israelis in the US to return home to be pulled amid outcry from the American Jewish community.

The ads suggest expats could lose touch with their Israeli identity because of assimilation into the US.
Jeffrey Goldberg at The Atlantic, a current affairs magazine, wrote earlier this week: "I don't think I have ever seen a demonstration of Israeli contempt for American Jews as obvious as these ads."

BBC News - US Jewish outcry over Israeli expat 'return' ads

 

[Ropey]

From your link:

The ADL told the BBC on Friday it was "pleased" the ads would no longer be used.

On Thursday, the Israeli Ministry of Immigrant Absorption issued a statement to the AFP news agency saying that the campaign was not directed at the US Jewish community.

"The recent claims, according to which the Israeli government is attempting to intervene in the personal choices of US Jews or to discount their lifestyle, has no connection to reality," the statement read.

"The Immigration Absorption Ministry cherishes and values the Jewish community in the US, and acknowledges its strong bond with Israel."

Israeli government officials told Haaretz, an Israeli English-language newspaper, that the campaign was launched in response to positive feedback from Israelis living in the US

 

[alexa]

From your link:

The ADL told the BBC on Friday it was "pleased" the ads would no longer be used.

On Thursday, the Israeli Ministry of Immigrant Absorption issued a statement to the AFP news agency saying that the campaign was not directed at the US Jewish community.

"The recent claims, according to which the Israeli government is attempting to intervene in the personal choices of US Jews or to discount their lifestyle, has no connection to reality," the statement read.

"The Immigration Absorption Ministry cherishes and values the Jewish community in the US, and acknowledges its strong bond with Israel."

Israeli government officials told Haaretz, an Israeli English-language newspaper, that the campaign was launched in response to positive feedback from Israelis living in the US

Who on earth would they be directed at if not the Jewish community? Here's another take on it Netanyahu Government Suggests Israelis Avoid Marrying American Jews - Jeffrey Goldberg - International - The Atlantic

These government-sponsored ads suggest that it is impossible for Jews to remain Jewish in America. How else are we supposed to understand the "Christmas" ad? Obviously, assimilation and intermarriage are issues in America in ways they aren't in Israel. Israel has other problems of course, such as the fact that many of its rabbis act like Iranian mullahs. (I'm not even going to try to unpack my complicated beliefs about intermarriage and assimilation and life in the Diaspora here; that's for a book. But let me just say that intermarriage can also be understood as an opportunity.)

The idea, communicated in these ads, that America is no place for a proper Jew, and that a Jew who is concerned about the Jewish future should live in Israel, is archaic, and also chutzpadik (if you don't mind me resorting to the vernacular). The message is: Dear American Jews, thank you for lobbying for American defense aid (and what a great show you put on at the AIPAC convention every year!) but, please, stay away from our sons and daughters.

As you will see at the bottom of that link he was not alone in his assessment that

This is to follow up on an earlier note from the JFNA Israel office concerning a new Israeli Ministry of Immigrant Absorption ad campaign attempting to lure ex-Israeli citizens home.

While we recognize the motivations behind the ad campaign, we are strongly opposed to the messaging that American Jews do not understand Israel. We share the concerns many of you have expressed that this outrageous and insulting message could harm the Israel-Diaspora relationship.

For that reason, we have made our concerns known to Israeli officials in the United States, and are delivering a strong letter to the Prime Minister's office asking the government to stop this initiative and to reconsider the strategy behind it. We have also offered to help play a role in rethinking this effort.

Jewish Federations Take Stand Against Israeli Ad Campaign - Jeffrey Goldberg - International - The Atlantic

showing that the Jewish Federations of North America agreed with him and that no doubt is why the ad's were pulled.

 

[thetor]

From your link:

The ADL told the BBC on Friday it was "pleased" the ads would no longer be used.

On Thursday, the Israeli Ministry of Immigrant Absorption issued a statement to the AFP news agency saying that the campaign was not directed at the US Jewish community.

"The recent claims, according to which the Israeli government is attempting to intervene in the personal choices of US Jews or to discount their lifestyle, has no connection to reality," the statement read.

"The Immigration Absorption Ministry cherishes and values the Jewish community in the US, and acknowledges its strong bond with Israel."

Israeli government officials told Haaretz, an Israeli English-language newspaper, that the campaign was launched in response to positive feedback from Israelis living in the US

Interesting,so if you are Jewish you are only half a Jew if you live in the USA.This thinking I was told about by a friend (Jewish) circa 10 years ago......the ultra orthodox Jews have this scale of how Jewish one is.depending how far from Israel you live. tor