Jewish Agency head steps down
Sallai Meridor resigns after six years as Jewish Agency chief; helped raised NIS 500 million for terror victims; successor to be appointed in June
Jewish Agency Head Sallai Meridor decided to step down from his post Tuesday after nearly six years in office and one year before his official term ends.
He has informed Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of his decision not to serve a third term.
During his meeting with Sharon, Meridor thanked the prime minister for his Zionist and Jewish leadership and for his role in advancing the agency's agendas, particularly those related to education, Jewish immigration to Israel and relations with Jewish communities all over the world.
“I have been a part of the system for six years, and I believe that from a public standpoint a person would not remain in his position forever,” Meridor told Ynet following the announcement of his decision.
“In any case, my term is supposed to end in a year. As I decided not to serve for another term, I believe it is proper to permit my successor to replace me now. The good of the system demands it,” he said.
Meridor summarized his tenure by saying “I have had the privilege to deal with the Jewish nation’s and Israel’s most important issues and to ensure the continuing aliyah and the bond with the Diaspora.”
He said his successor should work toward facilitating immigration to Israel, launch projects that would familiarize young people from abroad with Israel, and focus on the Negev and the Galilee.
Sharansky on deck?
Meridor added he does not believe the Jewish Agency should be shut down during a period of limited immigration to the country.
“The current rate of aliyah is significantly higher than what it was during the mid-1980s,” he said. “The harder it becomes to bring (new) immigrants, the existence of a powerful Jewish Agency becomes more important.”
The Jewish Agency said in a statement "Meridor believes in the rotation of senior public posts, and that as a rule, public figures should not cling to their seats."
Jewish Agency officials said Meridor decided to step down in order to prevent an extended transition period, thus allowing his successor to ease into the position one year ahead of the Zionist Congress to ensure the Jewish Agency's and the Zionist movement's ample preparation for the event.
During his tenure, Meridor initiated projects that facilitated Jewish immigration from Latin America, Ethiopia, France and the U.S. and led the effort ease the conversion to Judaism of new immigrants.
With the intifada's outbreak, he urged Jewish communities abroad to escalate their support for Israel, and raised NIS 500 million (about USD 114 million) for terror victims.
He also worked toward stepping up the fight against ant-Semitism.
Meridor's successor is expected to be appointed by the Zionist movement and the Jewish Agency at the end of June, following a consultation with Sharon.
There were those in the political establishment who have linked former Minister of Diaspora and Jerusalem Affairs Sharansky’s recent resignation with Meridor’s announcement.
However, Sharansky has not been officially approached as of yet, and Meridor has denied any connection between the events.
