-A look at a program that sends Jewish, Christian and Muslim teens to Israel. (Jewish Exponent)
-Hana and Sinai Julian made aliyah from Brooklyn with Nefesh B’Nefesh in 2003, but “instead of staying with relatives, going to an absorption center or a rented apartment, they and four of their seven children went directly from the airport to the “unrecognized” Bedouin village of Dragot.â€? (The Jerusalem Post)
-Daniel Orenstein wants to cut back on programs to entice Jews (including Israelis) abroad to come to Israel: “By closing the Ministry of Absorption, we could disperse its NIS 1.4-billion budget to benefit Israelis who live here – immigrants and long-time residents alike.â€? (Haaretz)
-A joint New Israel Fund – Union of Progressive Zionists Birthright Israel tour dubbed “Peace, Pluralism and Social Justice,” gives a decidedly different slant on Israel. (The Jerusalem Post)
-Israel’s plan to end Falashmura immigration by the middle of this year has been dealt a major legal blow. (Haaretz)
-A new program from Israel Encounter takes interfaith couples to Israel, with the non-Jewish partner traveling free. (Atlanta Jewish Times)
aliyah
Pronounced: a-LEE-yuh for synagogue use, ah-lee-YAH for immigration to Israel, Origin: Hebrew, literally, “to go up.” This can mean the honor of saying a blessing before and after the Torah reading during a worship service, or immigrating to Israel.
