Opinion
Why my friends are leaving Israel
Igor Teller
Published: 20.01.13, 10:58
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134 Talkbacks for this article
31. How many Russians just used the Aliyah to get to the west?
shadoil ,   Jerusalem   (01.20.13)
And were never given any real Jewish/Israeli values of nation, people and land?
32. igor, you are arrogant
Charles ,   jerusalem   (01.20.13)
Highly trained people and excellent academics are the first to expatriate themselves where there is challenge for their art. Israel does a lot for its people, the Israeli institutions are not responsible for everyhting. Israel needs big companies that can offer big challenges to Israeli performers. Israel is a small country, every Israeli should work abroad for 5 to 10 years before coming back with knowledge and experience. Now what Israeli companies have to offer them?
33. Well, do we have a pretentious man!!
Avouskila ,   South America   (01.20.13)
Well, at least the Russian Jews may have their passport which allow them to move wherever they see fit, for their own reasons. Let me just share with you Igor, when the Moroccan arrived to build the Israel that you enjoy today, their passports were withdrawn from them, so when someone wanted to move to Australia or France because they faced the same problem, they had to "convert" to Chrestianity or Islam just to be able to leave. Now, if you go to old newspaper (Davr, Hashomer...Maariv and Yediot) you will discover halucinous stories about those that have turned their back of the Judaism. Igor, luckily for you, tyour Russian friends can travel, move anywhere they wish, provided they have the Passports and the means. Lets face it, the Russian Jews have been leaving Israel the moment they arrived and acquired some communication skills with the West. Don't get me wrong, many Professional Maroccan Jews have left Israel and made big somewhere else....Israel is still striving. People are returning back home to Israel at a late age, but they manage. Don't make it so terrible for the natural movement of people, not only Jews (who were in some cases motivated by economics ends). In the long term, those who have participated in the building of Israel for the past sixty years, are still there with there progetinies.
34. For the record
Daniel ,   JM   (01.20.13)
Those people despise being called "Russians". They are Jews from Russia or Russian-speaking Jews. They were never Russians. Make no mistake, it is not akin to referring to olim from Morocco as "Moroccaim", it is akin to referring to them as "Moroccan Arabs" - both insulting and factually incorrect. Now they have had enough. Sad, tragic, and utterly understandable.
35. Suck it up
Ed Ford ,   Tel Aviv, Israel   (01.20.13)
If not being able to find a dream job or own a big house is why these people are leaving, then they would have found some other reason to leave.
36. Russians dont even own companys in russia, Putin does!
EU   (01.20.13)
37. They are leaving because ...
ORA ,   JERUSALEM   (01.20.13)
they lack idealism. The pioneers had worse conditions ,but came to Israel to stay. The conditions are not good? It is up to them to improve them. Quitters are losers. Winners don t quit.
38. A bunch of wimps
Barbara ,   Haifa Israel   (01.20.13)
What has happened to people lately - spoiled brats - that's what they are. They want everything on a silver platter. Problem is, is that they see how materialistically great the rest of the world is - and they have big eyes. I came to Israel from upper middle class, met my future Israeli husband and went down to upper lower class - barely getting by for a long, long time. It taught me to appreciate family and friends more than possessions. Yes, life is hard and it is supposed to be - so that you know what should be valued.
39. Israel is a small country,and people come for many reasons.
exUK ,   TEl Aviv.   (01.20.13)
Remember,in the past people came in the 40's simply because they had nowhere else to go.Before that they came as idealists to work the land..The religious settlers came out of religious fervour,(justified or not!) To live in "Judea and Samaria" is reward enough.Because the governments number one requirement is 'Jewish Demographics', the influx of Russians was a gift from heaven.Well.....not quite;because the powers that be paid a lot of money(to whom I dont know) in order that these people leaving Russia via other countries,were led to believe that Israel was the only destination open to them.Of course some may have had 'unproven Jewishness' but perhaps that was overlooked in the eagerness to improve'Jewish demographics'.I fully understand that if there is no majority of Jews in Israel,there would be no Israel. If I had come here many years ago,with my experience in my chosen skill,(music) there would have been many more avenues open to me at much better rates of pay. Fortunately I am above reirement age and have 'other income'But I fully understand that although we are a great country technologically,it may have problems in other directions.Finally,although English is 'the universal language' the powers that be have failed to use it widely,on signs,maps,menus etc. Fortunately Ben Gurion airport uses English for pilots! The age demographic I see on the streets of tel aviv seems to have a scarcity of people of middle age'.Or is that just my imagination.
40. to #4
exUK ,   TEl Aviv   (01.20.13)
Most of your points are correct.I also find that it is 'who you know' that gets you anywhere.The people in tax offices and similar places do not seem to know their rules,and one person does not liase with another.Hence we find ourselves going in circles from one building to the next.There is also the matter of living in a potential war zone.So there are many Anglos who make Aliya ,not needing to work.They either close their minds to the news and enjoy the weather,ot spend much of their time worrying about what may happen.That is unless they are very right wing or religious ,in which case they feel 'invincible'.
41. Not everyone can be a millionaire.
Jrebecca ,   modiin   (01.20.13)
I've been here a good few years, and I've watched people come from a number of countries. Generally, if someone was a great businessman/woman in their previous country, they soon get to the top levels here. If they were middle class before, that's were they are here in Israel. These people who are leaving, They came with nothing, so little they had to be brought here, supported here, given a start here. They leave on their own achievements, something they could not do in their previous land, but they dont recognise how they have grown, just how little they have grown against their unrealistic dreams.
42. Most highly educated and productive of ALL English-speaking
Israeili Jew ,   Israel   (01.20.13)
-- especially NOT-ultra Orthodox Orthodox -- are making yerida. Not just Russians. It's only possible to live an Orthodox life, free of medieval tyrants, abroad. If you don't fix that it will continue to deteriorate with no other solution.
43. MOST RUSSIANS DESIRED USA,EUROPE, ETC
Netanya ,   Netanya   (01.20.13)
The other countries wouldn't accept the russians, and after living with them in many places,I can say for 100%, that MOST Russians wanted to go to USA and Europe, not Israel. I did Ulpan with these Russians who all asked me how I could help them get into USA, and a very, very small percent actually wanted to be in Israel. I find this article based on pure bs, since the Russians never felt any connection to Israel or Judaism and were all going to leave anyway, regardless of the home or pension.
44. Why judge people
Bonzo ,   Tel-Aviv, Israel   (01.20.13)
If they are not satisfied and happy here there is no reason for them to stay. Its not for everybody and its certainly not a crime to leave.
45. A ranking of Israel's greatest threats
StevieT ,   USA   (01.20.13)
1.Population shift towards more orthodox, less progressive population. 2. Politicians using these new demographics to advance personal agendas. 3. Loss of citizen sympathies in allied countries. 4. Islamic military treats 5. Nuclear Iran
46. Article 'Why My Friends Leave Israel'
Jack ,   Tel Aviv, ISRAEL   (01.20.13)
You do not have a clue, do you? These people come over to Israel not for any ideological reason, for for any particular Jewish reasons. They come here to get another passport, and when able to, move on to the next stop. I suggest you look deeper into their 'spiritual connection' to Israel, if even there ever was one.
47. i am
Misha ,   Phila, USA   (01.20.13)
insulted, just because i was born in the former USSR dont make me a russian. i am a jew, my mother is a jew, her mother and father r jews. its funny in the ussr we were jews in israel we r russians. so address us ur fellow jews or dont address us at all !!
48. People are always coming and going. Just accept it.
leo ,   usa   (01.20.13)
No need to pass judgement one way or the other. Just be glad that many more coming than going.
49. 33 You had to convert to
ORA ,   JERUSALEM   (01.20.13)
Christianism to leave Israel? Amazing story. No real Jew would become Christian to leave Israel.
50. 45 Greater threat:No Datis=Arabs...
ORA ,   JERUSALEM   (01.20.13)
majority in Israel.
51. #16
mark ,   ca   (01.20.13)
WOW! So much hatred toward Russians.Let me tell you that Russian immigration saved State of Israel.Russians are jealous people? Some of them yes,but this is human nature.You want to tell me that Israelis are not jealous? Drinking problem? Not only Russians also Israelis have the same problem with alcohol.Many Israeli born eat pork,soooo? p.s.One thing is for sure that you have deep emotional and most likely mental issues.
52. To you, trashing commenters
Alex ,   Winnipeg, Canada   (01.20.13)
To you, trashing commenters - morons, don't judge so you won't be judged.
53. and the opposite is also true..
yevgeny ,   tlv/nyc   (01.20.13)
there is a net gain each year of about 16,000 people who emigrated to Israel vs those who left. MOST of these Olim are still coming from the former USSR. Also, there are quite a few people like myself, Soviet born and raised in the USA (or elsewhere) who made aliyah to Israel and are doing VERY well.
54. #45
israel israeli ,   tel aviv   (01.20.13)
When you say "more orthodox less progressive" do you mean like Nobel Prize Winner Auman or Entrepreneur Bennet?
55. #50, Datis are running away also.
Michael ,   California, USA   (01.20.13)
The hilonim cannot live with the restrictions imposed by religion, with the restrictive rules. Half a million secular have run away from Israel already. Datis have run out of Israel also in great numbers, to the U.S., Canada, Australia and Germany, all the places the writer mentions. Israelis are getting second passports all the time, as you well know. People have explored other places on earth since times immemorial and it's a natural process to do so (see National Geographic of January 2013 on Explorers.) However, only the datis keep chasing hilonis away from Israel in an unnatural process which is not abating at all.
56. Live free on another peoples land.
(01.20.13)
57. Amen !!! Now ,...
split ,   US   (01.20.13)
... wait for the avalanche of insults and character assassination ,... So much for the laud mouth Sarah and her hasbara goons crap ;) ,...
58. If Israel wants real Russian Jews, they should persuade
Rivkah   (01.20.13)
the Messianic Russian Jews of Central California to aliyah to Israel (over 240,000 of them) who don't eat pork, dress modestly, have morals, don't drink alcohol, and love Yahweh-Yeshua and are in America to be an example for decadent Americans to follow to be a blessing for the nation.
59. 55 Michael,i am not worried...
ORA ,   JERUSALEM   (01.20.13)
Despite everything you mentioned Israel s population does increase continuously,mainly the Orthodox society.
60. #21 Jarda
Vlad   (01.20.13)
You're probably expecting a flamefest to follow this comment. I don't know about others, but I'm not taking the bait this time. I've seen you in action here long enough to understand what you are. You're more of a troll than a pro-Pali activist. You're baiting us, fishing for reactions so you can sit back and watch us blow steam at you. Trolling is amusing to you for some reason. In any event, everyone, please don't feed the trolls.
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