Israel's net loss

I have to say I'm not sure how the Jewish Agency for Israel and the World Zionist Organisation are related. For all I know they could be the same thing. Anyway, here's an article on the Jewish Agency site praising the zionist youth of the UK whilst criticising the grown-ups for encouraging zionism but not "doing zionism." This failure to "do" zionism has led to a net loss of Jews from Israel. Apparently, 26,000 Jews have gone from the UK to become Israeli citizens whilst 30,000 Israelis have now made their home in the UK.

To a large extent, the impetus for active Zionism has come from the youth and the younger elements of the community and, from a Zionist perspective, there is no question that this has proved impressive. Since the foundation of Israel over 26,000 British Jews have gone on Aliyah, representing a very large number for a community which has been upwardly mobile and decidedly middle class for most of that period - a community moreover which has not been threatened by any real anti-semitism or strong hostility throughout that period. Today, while the raising of community funds - including those for Israel - shows continuing generosity, the Zionist movement is decidedly not among the leading community institutions. Today, 50% of Jewish youngsters come on study tours to Israel in the framework of one or other of the Zionist youth movements, but for the vast majority of participants and their parents, these are social frameworks through which they pass preparatory to continuing their life in Britain.

One final remark should be added. Of the estimated 300,000 Jews in the United Kingdom, about 30,000 - a full 10% - are ex-Israelis. These "yordim" (the opposite of "olim" - immigrants to the Land of Israel) comprise sub-communities with often ill-defined ties to the host Jewish community - in many of the large cities of the West. It is too early to estimate the effect of Israel's approximately 500,000 yordim worldwide on the subject of Israel-Diaspora relations, but it is certainly something that will have some kind of impact in the middle to long term.

I think "yordim" literally means "drop outs". Meanwhile, the Labour Zionists are now suggesting "action through all means to encourage the return home of Israelis living abroad."

See more "doing zionism."