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Pining for a plane ticket (illustration)
Photo: Amnon Meranda

Israelis in US desperate to return home

Consulates in North America report of flux of Israelis asking for help getting back to Jewish state after losing money in financial crisis; Absorption, Foreign ministries mulling forming possible airfare aid fund

Many Israelis living in the United States have approached the Israeli consulates in North America recently, asking for their help in getting back to Israel.

 

According to the report, dozens of Israelis who have lost their money in the financial crisis sweeping through the US have been pleading with the local Israeli bureaus to help them pay for a plane ticket back to the Jewish state.

 

Eli Yifrach, an Israeli consul in Florida, said that the Miami office gets several calls to that effect every day: "We've had cases of Israelis telling us they were being evicted from their homes, after faltering on their mortgage payments."

 

Another official with a different consulate said that his offices has had Israelis call in and ask for financial help to buy food. "In one case, I gave an Israeli $100 for food, and I know many contact Chabad centers and synagogues for food," he said.

 

Sharon Glassman, of the Immigrant Absorption Ministry, told Yedioth Ahronoth that the ministry was "aware of several humanitarian cases of Israelis who reported that they could not afford airfare.

  

"Absorption Ministry Director-General Erez Halfon has instructed us to look into ways in which we can cooperate with the Foreign Ministry and form an aid fund which will help those in need to purchase tickets back to Israel."

 


פרסום ראשון: 11.24.08, 09:27
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