The state must be in a much worse way than we ever imagined if these few deluded (and shortly to be disillusioned) youth make the news. Perhaps smarter strategists would have hushed it up, but then when you're desperate....

Well, about the "whining", you seem to be doing a great job yourself. And just because Americans elected Bush for president and are about to go from the frying pan into the fire, doesn't mean that I as an Israeli have not voiced my opinion to Kenesset members, or taken action. I am no fool. Never have such a pathetic lot of losers led our country. But then, this is Israel, and supposedly, we are supposed to know better, or at least we think we do. Seems like politicians here are more corrupt than yours. I have visited your country, which is still my country too in a way, as I still have retained that thing most coveted and prized by Israelis - American citizenship. I may be misinformed, but isn't the good ole USA a democracy too? So, what have YOU done lately for your country? Just curious. Sounds like it's falling apart over there, so thanks for clarifying exactly why these eager Americans are starting to come to live in Israel. A word of advice: maybe you should address your talkback here to your congressman.

Another pathetic "observer" who doesn't even have the balls to write his/her name here.

You young people need to read and talk to the Jews who survived the Nazi vermin and the courage the Bielskies showed in their Defiance of those and other anti semitic kielbasa heads who killed our people. When you finish think what is going to happen when THEY COME FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY, just as did did for thousand of years. Note that it is inevitable that they WILL COME FOR YOU, here we go again, thanks Bielskies. See Defiance the movie 12/12/08 starring James Bond Bielski. Shalom, stop hiding. USMC, IDF

military service. It is difficult, but necessary for the nation. The young men in America are asked to sign up for the Selective Service at age 18 so that they can be in a lottery for a military draft if that is enacted by legislators. Those who do not sign up at age 18 will have a 100% chance of being drafted instead of only a possibility in the event of military conscription laws being enacted. These young olim make me so proud. I wish my nephews were as understanding of military duty to a country one chooses to live in. They did not even sign up at the Post Office for the Selective Service roster at age 18 which was their lawful obligation as US citizens to do. I diligently tried to persuade them to obey the law, but their parents, Joseph and Elizabeth Patterson of Boxford, Massachusetts, agreed they should run away if drafted into military service in America. What they don't know is that Canada signed an agreement to return deserters and draft dodgers to America. So I reported Benjamin Frank Patterson and David Eugene Patterson to the U.S. Justice Department for failure to sign up for the Selective Service roll. They will not be prosecuted unless a draft is enacted and they refuse the orders to serve in the military. They are typical of many young men in America who want mercenaries to fight wars for them. Blackwater mercenaries are doing just that, but it costs the taxpayers three or more times as much per soldier than a draftee or volunteer. It also puts America at risk because Blackwater mercenary bases in America could turn military machinery on Americans, illegally, as has happened in other nations and eras. Recently, many nuclear warheads were reported missing from the US Air Force arsenals which led to the firing of the US Air Force Chief of Staff. Where are the missing nuclear warheads? Are they at mercenary bases to be used for a possible takeover of the USA because the youth of America did not want to have a military draft of citizen and resident alien soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines. When our country is lost, blame the young. They will pay a terrible price when freedom is lost forever because they did not want to protect and guard and defend their nation, except for a few good men and women who volunteered.

Yes, why only american olim seem to hit the news, when there are hundreds of other olim from all over the world that come live in Israel as well, go to an Ulpan, joind the army, etc. What the real news behind this?

If you guys are so disillusioned with life in Israel, why do you stay? And if you could go back in time knowing what you know now, would you choose aliyah?

How many Yordim woke up to the reality that the streets of the Goldene Medina are not paved with gold?

First of all, I did leave four years ago. After losing my job and being unemployed for year I returned to the States to make a living. I am planning on returning to Israel however in the near future. One can criticize one's country but still call it home. Israel is my home , I'm just very upset with how it has deteriorated over the years, it wasn't always like this and I always felt that Israel would never reach the low that many other countries including the US have. I would not have given up my early years in Israel regardless of what I know now. However if I knew then what I know I might not have chosen to be born.

I've been here for more than three years already and in the army for a while. I can say I have no regrets. I am in a combat unit that was stationed in the west bank and other places, I have talked and dealt with palestinians and have done arrests. So when I say that I still do not regret coming and encourage other to do the same, it is true.

I doubt for a minute these immigrants from the USA have any delusions about life in Israel about a walk in the park, and I doubt they came to Israel in search of a tax break, higher salary, or bigger house. On the contrary, they came to Israel with a deep sense of personal missions as Jews to help the Jewish homeland in its hour of need. Clearly that is not fashionable in Israel these days, judging by the leaders the Israelis have chosen to lead them and represent them in the Knesset. As for those Israelis who think these immigrants are naive freirim, I invite you to take a good look at the misfortunes and misadventures Israelis have encountered abroad, starting with the one today in Australia. Also, the shopping malls in the USA are filled with young Israeli travelling salesmen trying to peddle their wares before they move on to the next mall, like urban Beduin. Americans tend to view Israelis as Middle Easterners, while the American Jews tend to see them as culturally incompatible, and the two groups do not mix a great deal socially. For those Israelis who believe life is all about making money and are therefore naturally attracted to move away from Israel in search of El Dorado, take a look at the case of the billionaire Shari Arison. After vascillating between America and Israel, she finally settled in Israel, with its antiquated Soviet-style tax system.

This bipede is a muslim , anti Israeli , who can only tell lies , distorted writings , and so on .

Shari Arison does not have to worry about making a living I assure you,if she did it might be a totally different ballgame.When one is a Billionaire one can live well anyplace ,Israel included.

How is one a “world citizen” without changing the definition of the word “citizen”?

Hi Everyone! On Tuesday morning, August 19, 2008, I was at Ben-Gurion airport to greet the new olim that made aliyah from North America to Israel. I took 364 pictures of the exciting event and I posted them online at: http://www.jr.co.il/pictures/israel/history/2008/a373.htm May the aliyah from all over of the world grow and bring more Jews back to their homeland, Eretz Yisrael. Have a good day, Jacob

Sadly, Israel is definitely not what it used to be, and this can be heartbreaking for olim who made the aliyah decision based on memories. On the other hand, when the going gets tough in a new home, any immigrant shouldn't fall easy prey to the rosy-hindsight syndrome - it is a deadly mirage for most, especially Americans, who may recognize some of the local deterioration as (absolutely) US-inspired, with some Soviet corrosion thrown into the mix. HOWEVER, we are all "whining" in the lap of relative luxury compared to many other nations and many other immigrant experiences around the world and throughout our history, and - let's just admit it - we're all holding Israel to a higher (double) standard.

They should be forced to give up their American citizenships as they are Jews first, Israeli's second..and there are no thirds in this picture.. Say goodby to Ameria..and don't bother to write... TATA

All of you people who condemn these olims' actions make me want to give you a good punch sqaure in the face. You call these people naive and stupid for wanting to help their religion and their people in its time of need. Hmmm...reminds me of something that happened quite recently in history...say 60 years ago???

What I find frustrating is NO mention of what program these olim are doing. Its called Garin tzabar and they are amazing. I am from last years garin. Garin Tzabar is a program that helps olim enter the army and provides us with many resources to make the transtion of aliyah easier and much more enjoyable. Id also like to add as now being in the army for a year, yes it has its problems, but find it hurtful to see the horrible things people are writing here. Its ashame to see how many people are losing their identities in Israel. Its ashame that WE are losing our identity. And I can say WE because now I am very much part of it!

israel should try to bring in another million russian gentiles and enlist them all in the military. better yet, they should start converting arabs and enlisting them in the military also! why not! let's hope these people's children don't become frum and learn instead of serve the Zionist regime. a jew's duty is to learn Torah, not to serve a secular government.

I did the same thing these fine youngsters are doing in the 1980's. Many of the Israels called me a sucker also. My army experience was difficult, but well worth the sacrafice. Good luck to all of them.

b'hatlacha, kol tuv ... libaynu eemchem!

Our economy is not a shambles because of Reaganomics. It is becaus eof mentally ill Liberals who keep sending all of our jobs overseas. (I include George W. Bush in my definition of Liberals.) In case you were asleep, Reaganomics was the beginning of the longest economic expansion in US history. It's pretty difficult being a Liberal when your policies have done nothing but damage America for over 50 years.

A mercenary is any person who: (a) is specially recruited locally or abroad in order to fight in an armed conflict; (b) does, in fact, take a direct part in the hostilities; (c) is motivated to take part in the hostilities essentially by the desire for private gain and, in fact, is promised, by or on behalf of a Party to the conflict, material compensation substantially in excess of that promised or paid to combatants of similar ranks and functions in the armed forces of that Party; (d) is neither a national of a Party to the conflict nor a resident of territory controlled by a Party to the conflict; (e) is not a member of the armed forces of a Party to the conflict; and (f) has not been sent by a State which is not a Party to the conflict on official duty as a member of its armed forces.

if captured by an enemy, they might be treated as unlawful combatants. they can expect to be treated as common criminals and may face execution. As they are not POWs they can not expect repatriation at the end of the war.

A reserve colonel in the Israeli Army, Yair Klein, who runs a Tel Aviv- based security consulting company, is believed to have headed a paramilitary training squad that supervised assassinations for Colombian drug traffickers. His voice was heard on a videotape provided by drug traffickers showing commandos apparently carrying out an assassination. Mr. Klein returned to Israel tonight and denied involvement with the Medellin cartel killers. Though he admitted that he had been in Colombia and involved in weapons training, he asserted that he was training private citizens to defend themselves against drug traffickers. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE2DD173FF935A1575BC0A96F948260

Yair Klein, 64, a reserve lieutenant colonel in the Israel defence forces (IDF)and a veteran of the six-day and Yom Kippur wars, has done business with armed groups in Latin America and Africa for 25 years. He has spent nine months in a Moscow prison but last week the Russian supreme court ordered that the extradition go ahead. Klein's Russian lawyer turned to the human rights court for a temporary stay on the grounds that he could suffer ill-treatment if sent to Bogotá. There were also concerns about the fairness of the 2001 trial, which sentenced him in absentia. During the hearing he said: "Extradition to Colombia would mean a death sentence." http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jun/03/israelandthepalestinians.russia