... than give electricity, fresh water and other free aid to Gaza. For that matter, I would rather fund the education and assimilation of these wonderful young immigrants than pay the enormous costs of upkeep for the tens of thousands of illegal aliens from Africa and other places who have absolutely no loyalty to the State of Israel. We seriously need to rethink our priorities. Starting with Gaza. Cut them off. Let their new good friend in Cairo pick up the slack.

I made aliyah in 2003 and was promised the courses etc etc...to be told each year there is no funds...

I'm not against the new immigrants I just don't understand on what basis they get a freebie!

and which of the 4 Sarah Bees are you?

The real one. Accept no imitations! Israel provides free electricity, fresh water and tens of millions of metric tons of humanitarian aid and food to Gaza on a weekly basis. All this for a terrorist-run entity that fires missiles at Israeli civilian centers and declares itself to be at "war" with the State of Israel and committed to the destruction of the State of Israel. Let their brand new friends in Cairo pick up the slack. Of course, Egypt is dead broke, but that's not Israel's problem, is it? The State of Israel should immediately cut Gaza off, and use the money to keep promises made to olim. All the funds used to succor illegal aliens in Israel should be used to assist olim and those who actually serve the State. Do you have a problem with that? Why?

I'm clueless as to how insensitive Israelis can be on this issue. When a Jew leaves the US or Canada to SERVE IN THE IDF (when so many Israelis DRAFT-DODGE; over ONE MILLION ISRAELIS NOW LIVE ABROAD, MOSTLY IN AMERICA...TO AVOID SERVICE & ABANDON THEIR STATE), giving up a higher standard of living, higher wages and a higher quality of life to support their homeland, and when the Israeli government and aliyah agencies make a billion promises only to find themselves screwed over, back-stabbed and betrayed, CHEATED AND LIED TO...well, perhaps you can begin to understand just how badly their lives have been ransacked and raped. Its a disgrace, its a big fat lie; the Israeli government flagrantly left these people out in the cold and wave it off as if its nothing. You want to understand just how badly this will effect Israel? Wait until AIPAC, the Jewish Federations and all other powerful Jewish orgs abroad who help pump BILLIONS OF DOLLARS INTO ISRAEL, come down on you guys like a ton of bricks for betraying your own. It was a despicable act and I, for one, truly hope the PM and the Knesset lose MAJOR funding over this. That will teach them a lesson that Jews DO NOT SCREW JEWS OVER especially after they've made such enormous sacrifices for the state of Israel. THIS IS THEIR LIVES WE'RE TALKING ABOUT!!! Don't promise someone the world and hand them a rotten apple. Do what you say or you'll be labeled for what you are: a macher. SHAME ON ISRAEL for doing this. I hope the Jewish Orgs WHACK the PM with more financial hits than he could afford. Knock some sense into his head! I hope all of the Olim affected by this return, EN-MASS, quickly, and leave behind all of their rentals, houses, bills, debts, etc. in protest. If Israel thinks they can screw the olim; then Israel will become a 3rd world heap of garbage and would DESERVE IT! How many Foreign Jews dream of coming to Israel only to have this happen to them? Its a sham, a machery, a disgrace! Israel hit an all-time low to screw over so many of its own with such flagrant lies. BS. Tired of pumping money into Israel just to have it tossed back in our faces like this. And the ARROGANCE of people like you: "take care of those born in Israel first" ??? You must be a thug or a moron to say such a thing. THE ENTIRE LAND OF ISRAEL IS MADE UP OF OLIM!!! OLIM ARE ISRAELS STRENGTH AND FUTURE! You won't be so arrogant when your wages perish to nil if the Foreign Jewish Orgs pressure congress to cut back on Israels 'aid'....which can very easily happen. Sick of this machery: might as well move to the Pale before Israel.

I would love to live in Israel but as a retired Texas schoolteacher, there is no way I can afford housing. Maybe instead of funding political campaigns, the wealthy Jews in the US could build US style apartment blocks for Olim and young Israeli...now, that's ZIONISM!!

you only came here because it was cheap and here someone would pay for your education. now that things are harder here - you have the nerve to demonstrate. go home - see how your country will support you. I doubt that you will have the nerve to demonstrate or even open your mouth.

These folks sound like a bunch of whiners.Coming to Israel seeking educational aid? I guess times have changed. I got my education in the USA BEFORE making Aliyah, and still managed to pay off my student loans. And managed to find a great job without anyone's help. Just walked in off the street, literally, and asked for and got a job! No help, no government assistance, not depending on some ministry or others budget largesse.

are different than Birthright guests. THAT money should go to scholarships, and let the ones who want to come to Israel pay to get to see the sights.

A lot of these olim come from rich countries. Why arent their parents paying for their education. My daughter also served the state, but I paid her tuition. She worked to pay her living expenses, I think such financial aid should be for students from poor countries who have no other resources or are orphans. Who agrees or disagrees with me?

Not everyone can do that. Most Olim are at a distinct disadvantage compared to locals. They have to spend at least year learning the language during which time they can't earn a living or find it much more difficult than a local to work. I had to live on savings during that entire period and was left with nothing at the end. They often have to pay their own rent, buy their own furniture, basic living outgoings, etc etc without the ability to function because lack of language skills and difficulties managing in a new enviroment. Not all young Olim have wealthy parents to support them despite this mistaken belief of many Israelis. Adapting to a new country is difficult enough without huge financial difficulties and the constant temptation to leave and re-enter one's comfort zone.

is Israel less secular than it was?

extorting money from wealthy Jews to fund others under the guise of aliyah.

If you feel that way then you should not have come. Israelis are used to sacrifice, and many can not afford to go to college either. I have met many who come, study and leave after five years to greener pasture. Home is where you stick it out, and compared to the US and other countries tuition here is not much money at all and doable, with working, as most Israelis do it.

Coming on Aliyah is a voluntary activity. Coming on Aliyah means that one recognizes that one wasn't home in the first place and that by making Aliyah one is home. Given that your first sentence was a fallacy I carefully read the rest of your comments. What happened did you forget to take your medications before you wrote it?

I made Aliyah from Australia- (post studies) a fairly wealthy country. But there is no way my parents could have afforded to fund my tuition. I studies for free in Australia under a government loan scheme that allows students to study and only pay back their loan as a percentage only once they earn above a certain pay bracket. Just because people come from rich countries, does not mean they come to Israel financially loaded. By the Israeli government offering tuition help to new olim, it helps olim come to Israel faster, and intergrate more easily thorugh studying here, within Israeli society. By the time one finishes their degree in the Diaspora, the temptation to find a job and earn a living outside of Israel is so much stronger. It's a big incentive to make aliyah earlier. Anddon't even get me started on why Israeli born Israeli don't also get the same options for free tuition. It would be great if everyone received this assistance, but until you yourself have made aliyah, leaving your parents, family, good paying job (which paid 6 times more than I get paid here!) and safe terrorism free society, people have no right to be jeolous of the benefits that olim receive!!!

It angers me when: a) people assume we are just upset at not getting "freebies" b) people say "most of these olim come from wealthy countries so their parents should pay for it" Well, it's less about the money than it is about the false promises. Since 1968 the Student Authority has supported student interests AND MORE IMPORTANTLY it is one of the benefits promised olim in all of those nice pamphlets when young people consider making aliyah. Young olim would still come even without the money, but for the thousands of students currently receiving aid, they (including myself) would be left hanging. Some of those "overpriviledged" olim are young Ethiopian immigrants. I hope you can tell me how these individuals will afford higher education. Many of us have served in the army. Many of us have given up a lot to come to Israel. As pointed out in the article, coming to Israel is not so much of a "freebie" for many Europeans - when the education is ACTUALLY free for them. They would rather study here. And as far as the second infuriating comment goes, many of us do not have other ways to pay for school. I might come from the United States, but my parents cannot afford to help me. My mother has multiple scleroris and cannot work and my parents are recovering financially from multiple periods (between 6 months to 2 years) when my father was out of work because of the economical situation in the States. I have been living on my own in Israel for 6 years, served in a combat unit for 3, and am not in school. I was told that one of the benefits was education paid for. So I hope you'll excuse me when I can say you can shove it.

no "ersatz" so it must be an imposter will the real Sarah B. please stand up

When I came to Israel I stayed in an absorbtion centre where I also went to ulpan and when my Hebrew was a satisfactory standard I went in the army and used the absorbtion centre as a place to come when I had time off. When I was in the army I lived off the barely survivable army pay and any money I got from the Sal Klita. When I was finished with the army I found myself an apartment and got a job as a security guard working very long hours for very low pay. Certainly a step down from what I was used to back in the UK but I didn't moan like this lot I accepted alliyah was not an easy thing to do and got on with it. Thankfully things got better financially in time but I have seen it from the point of view of the people at the bottom and I know that this lot are not acting anything like the way I did. Alliyah is a hard thing especially if you come in later life and even more so if you come without family but it can be done and you don't need government money to do it just a willingness to work hard. If these people thought they were going to be coming to Israel and living one long vacation forever then maybe they will never fit in here. This lot have seen Leef & her pals demanding the government spend lots of money on them and now this is the olim doing their social justice bit. All these people seem to think money grows on trees, already all the ministries have suffered budget cuts but Leef & the olim think all that country should revolve around them so they can have a better life.

When I came to israel, I came as a regular immigrant. No Aliya for me. No help, no funding and no ulpan. Learnt Hebrew on my own, found a job and saved more money for studies I had to build a new life from scratch, with the little money I had saved to come here. I didn't ask anything to the state nor was expecting anything. The western world economy is falling apart. Israel is no exception. If olim don't want to help by putting their hand in the pocket then they have no business here. I don't see why just because they are Jews they should have more help and rights than I do. Aliya was maybe relevant forty years ago but it's not anymore. Times have changed and so has Israel

True Jews and Zionists just don't leave because of tuition cuts or other financial cuts by the government. Many Russians who have immigrated to Israel in the past 20 years did so for economic incentives. If they want to leave, nobody is stopping them. Israel will be better of without them.

OK it's settled then. Sarah B is going to fund all the Olim students out of her "billions in the bank", and Israel will continue to give "support" to Gaza, and continued shelter to African refugees. When will this start Sarah B?

Whose bottom??

... they are the Yeshiva students who study for years and years and years, never get jobs, never enter the army or do national service and they not only study for FREE, the government PAYS them! Get rid of those subsidies and I promise you, the government will have more funds to help Olim study as well as reduce tuition for native born Israelis.

So if they had higher wages, higher standard of living and were financially better off, they shuold use some of that money to finance their education here. If you want free education, go somewhere else. make your way here the same as native-born Israelis do, many of whom do NOT have parents who can help them. On the other hand, maybe parents here are more willing to sacrifice things in order to put their kids through college and university. It's the Jewish thing. but please, do not come to this country expectig a freebie.

i came in 1969, married another oleh and my parents helped- a bit - with what we couldn't afford. Meanwhile, we - my husband and I - paid full fees for our three kids' university education while they worked for their living expenses but we obviously helped them out with major expenses. Why should olim from rich countries get a free ride? Spoilt brats.

Who asked you to sacrifice anything to come and live in Israel? If you feel that you are making a sacrifice, please, stay put and don't bother us here with your demands. If you come from countries where university is free, then come here after you finish your studies, when you have something more to offer this country. If anything, assistance should be given on an assessment basis, the same as it would be in your home countries. Here you basically have to be on social welfare before getting any sort of assitance. Even when my husband lost his job the only asistance w ereceived was the waiving of one month's payment of the fees, and we were grateful for that.