Jewish Agency to close absorption centers

Organization suffers from budget cuts as global financial crisis brings decrease in donations, forcing five absorption centers to shut down, undetermined number of employees to be laid off

Yael Branovsky
Published: 12.03.08, 12:50 / Israel News

The Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) plans to shut down five absorption centers as a result of a foreseen decrease in donations, due to the global financial crisis. Dozens of employees will also be dismissed as a result of an expected $45 million budget cut.

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Last month the Jewish Agency announced that due to the financial crisis and the subsequent decline in donations, it would be forced to downsize its budget for 2009. The agency said it would unite departments in Israel and abroad, and that agents from both sectors would have to be let go.

In addition, the agency plans to fill certain absorption centers in Israel while shutting down others. It explained that this step was also a result of a decrease in immigration to Israel over recent years.

Representatives of the JAFI's absorption centers in the south have expressed concern over the decision, which they fear will cause dispersal of the immigrants as well as the laying off of employees familiar with their cases.

"In any case the immigrants will not be harmed, and will receive the best care," the JAFI said in a statement. It said that "the number of centers that will be shut down and employees that will be laid off is currently unknown," but that an official statement would be given to the press soon.

Speaking to reporters at a Jerusalem press conference last month, 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.”

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.

Tova Dadon contributed to this report

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