Economic crisis hits Jewish Agency
Projects expected to suffer after agency slashes budgets, confirms will let go of employees. 'We're not an organization that fires people, we adjust our manpower to meet our needs,' says director-general, pledging changes will not affect aliya initiatives
The primary reason for the move is a drop in contributions made to the agency, as well as the plummeting US dollar. Donations may be made in dollars, but the money intended for the agency's work in Israel must be converted to shekels.
Speaking to reporters at a Jerusalem press conference, JAFI Chairman Zeev Bielski said, “These are not easy times; the economic crisis has hit us hard. We decided to take extreme measures, and it took great courage to slash $45 million from our budget.
“It could be that we will end up a leaner institution, but we will continue to carry out the same missions.” The Jewish Agency has been working on this curtailment for a few months.”
Bielski said that the assistance given to the Student Authority, the body subsidizing academic studies for new immigrants, will cease to exist.
“The Israeli government can take responsibility for the Student Authority and this will ensure that the students are left unharmed.”
Absorption centers will close
According to him, a number of absorption centers will be closed and cuts will be made to institutions like Yad Vashem.
JAFI Director General Moshe Vigdor added that NAALE, (Teenagers Emigrating Before Parents), a program sponsored by the Israeli government that allows Jewish teenagers from the Diaspora to graduate high-schools in Israel and achieve high-school diplomas, is in jeopardy and may close.
He added that the organization would try to keep terminations to a minimum. “'We're not an organization that fires people, we adjust our manpower to meet our needs."
It should be noted that from 2003 the Jewish Agency has cut its manpower by 20% and today, the number of employees stands at 678. Five years ago it was 821.
The organization said that it will dismiss workers in the former Soviet Union and in other countries around the world.
In addition, the Jewish Agency plans to increase the effectivity of its infrastructures. For example, representation in countries in which the number of potential new immigrants is low, will be decreased.
Workers will add more tasks to their positions and representatives around the world will rent smaller offices.
Nonetheless, Bielski promised that despite the cuts, the Jewish Agency’s main goals will not be harmed.
“The budget cuts will not hurt the number of new immigrants that want to make aliya. We will just be more effective so that we can bring more olim to Israel,” he said.
