you cannot get a job as an oleh in Israel, even if you do have an MBA and many years experience, I know.

Remove Israeli citizenship to people who take foreign citizenship. Raid American universities for top ranked professors and pay the more.

Who needs accountants, economists, and business students when we can have tax dodging draft-dodging parasites? Who needs a well-run competitive economy when we can have a failed welfare economy? Keep it up Israel, it's clear you really value your citizens!

It's easy to make grandiose statements and multi-million dollar proposals for education reform when you're just a regular citizen sitting in front of your computer without an entire nation to run. Your proposal would be great for education -- it would also cost hundreds of millions of dollars and cost Israel many bright minds (a large proportion of Israelis have foreign citizenships, and there's nothing wrong with that). Israel doesn't have the money for your proposals. We can't even afford to feed our grandparents, the holocaust survivors, and you expect them to pull hundreds of millions of dollars out of thin air for an education reform on the scale you're proposing? Let's just say it like it is: the welfare budget is bloated, and the CBS says that 60% of all citizens who live below the poverty line are either Haredim or Arabs. In other words, populations which generally don't work. Unless we get these populations into the workforce, there will be more and more budget cuts from important areas to finance their massive families. Next, the defense budget is also ridiculously bloated, with a the greedy upper echelons taking massive salaries for themselves at the expense of the army's performance. So we're pouring millions into welfare for anti-Zionist non-productive populations, millions for corrupt individuals in the public service, millions for greedy military brass who do little but get paid plenty. You want an education reform? Don't be brave behind your computer screen - get out there and demand that this wasteful spending be cut. We can't live with an exponentially growing Haredi and Arab population; we can't live with the corrupt individuals living off our tax dollars, be they in the public service or the army or the Knesset. Unless we start to run this economy properly, like a first-world Western capitalist state, this country will be in decline. Businesses will leave Israel to find countries which aren't going to bring them to their knees with corruption, bureaucracy and obscene tax rates; skilled individuals will move to countries where WHAT they know is more important than WHO they know when looking for a job, and so on. This issue in education is not an isolated problem - it is only one facet of a massive problem in the way the economy is run and they way Israeli society operates. And if we want to survive, we need someone who is willing to try take on this massive (and politically unpopular) task. Unfortunately, doing so would likely be politiacl suicide in this country, so I won't be holding my breath.

(1) What do you think revoking the Israeli citizenship of Israelis who become foreign citizens will accomplish? Israelis leave Israel in pursuit of a better life--one where they can earn a decent wage (as opposed to the Israeli average of 8000 NIS per month) and have less of it taxed; one where they don't have to contend with myriad fees, taxes, and bureaucratic nonsense that is unheard of in America; one where their children receive a high-quality public education; one where they don't have to contend with the constant secular-versus-religious haggling; one where a car is an affordable commodity; one where they won't get shoved onto a public bus or be subjected to the indignities and rudeness that unfortunately can be fixtures of life in Israel ...in essence, they leave because they want the "good life," which is the absolute right of every human being. Instead of blaming them, blame the government with its hideous bureaucracy, grossly unfair tax code, ludicrous priorities, and devotion to a brand of socialism that even Europe is distancing itself from, You seem to be placing blame on the wrong people. Besides, you think your idea would dissuade people from leaving Israel in the first place? 10% of Israel's Jewish population has left Israel since 1948, and only a tiny fraction has ever returned. When people want a better life for themselves and their children, they're not going to be frightened out of it by the prospect of not being able to return to a country that they are willing to leave in the first place. (2). Good luck finding a single American professor who'd be willing to (A) live in Israel, and (B) be paid slave wages compared to American professor salaries. There's no way that Israel could afford to pay university professors anywhere near what they make in America. This problem is endemic in all Israeli industries. I am an attorney. My first year of practice as a low-paid judicial clerk, I made more money than your average Israeli attorney with 5 years' experience--and kept more of it after tax. But again, you're missing the point. The idea is not to retaliate against America for "stealing" Israeli students. America isn't forcing any Israeli to do anything he doesn't want to do. They leave Israel BY CHOICE. Rather, the point is to fix Israel--i.e., reform the government's economic policies so that Israeli students wouldn't have to look elsewhere for the opportunities they want and deserve--so that so many Israelis will no longer WANT to leave in the first place. You're a real zealot, huh? ...That's okay, I was an oleh for a long time, too. Only the experience made me realize that while Israel offers things to Jews that no other country can, it offers NOTHING by way of professional accomplishment, financial stability, or standard of living. ...Everyone deserves a fair reward for their hard work and education.

don't really care about their country, who aren't truley zionistic and don't feel the importance of living in the reestablished state of Israel wherin the national destiny of the Jewish people will be realized.

That's big talk from someone living in Canada. Talk about Zionism and Jewish nationhood is cheap. Try raising a family on NIS 8000 per month (before you give a bigger chunk of it to the government that you would in almost any other western nation) while concurrently trying to save for your and your children's future and then see if you have the temerity to imply that people who seek a better life abroad are traitors. Better yet, try doing it as I did: while suffering from a chronic disease and reconciling yourself to the fact that half the medications you took in the United States aren't available in the Zionist paradise because the Ministry of Health can't afford to import them. Have you lived in Israel? Or did you simply buy into all the propaganda on your two-week Birthright Israel trip without bothering to look at the statistics on how people in Israel actually live? And please answer this, because I'm curious: Is there, in your mind, ANY acceptable justification for leaving Israel, ever?

The whole system is about to collapse in on itself from bad accounting practices, bordering on massive corruption and lying. Who would want to take over the frigging mess to begin with. Banks make bad loans to bolster their commisions, selling higher interest rate mortgages. Mortgage companies and Real Estate companies lie and sell bad loans to boost their commisions also. Now our banks are imploding with massive losses. The economy is grinding to a halt...... what do we need economists for now? To tell us we are finacially screwed?

Borat in 20 years.

Jared, You are so right. You forgot to mention Mr. Olmert's penchant for fine watches and cigars. He is a model zionist. I lived in Israel. No plan to return.

Your comments had my undivided attention until your Borat remark. Now I'm sitting here giggling, because you have a good point.

Jared, I've lived in a few cities around the world I have to say, whenever you move countries, it takes a long time to settle in and get to the high point you may have been at financially prior to your move Israel is pretty expensive, but so are many other cities around the world, including NY. Some places give you more bang for your buck Thats something which fluctuates with time Youre a lawyer - there are too many lawyers in Israel, more than the system needs So they get paid a terrible salary I work at a hedge fund. I bring home more than 30k after tax as a fund manager. I have some friends in large law firms who make 8k per month before tax. Terrible. Some Hi-Tech friends of mine make more than I do in a bad month. Government companies? Also horrible pay Depends where you work The same holds true for the US - there are some well paying jobs, like lawyers for example, and some not so well paying jobs, like teachers. Again, Israel isnt for everyone The same holds true for the US - I thought the countryside was beautiful, but I didnt like the cities, and I dont like the people either. Thats ok, everyone has their own space where they fit in.

What do you expect? Our educational system doesn't compare with that in the West in the elementary,Jr and High school level.So many students want to go abroad for College because there are more opportunities abroad for better paying jobs once you graduate from College. Israel doesn't have "Ivy League" schools, and more companies recognize diplomas from Yale,Havard,Princeton,Bryn Mar, or even State Universities than they do from Israeli schools! Plus Universities abroad are teaching in English , which is the international language of business, Medicine etc, while here the classes are taught mostly in Hebrew thus limiting the students from possible international employment!

There is one justification to stay here : Here you are at home . If you were earning only a bruto 8000 ILS a month , you certainly did'nt have a much sought after profession . So how can you live in the USA , they don't need unqualified people . I know it , you look at every argument to justify your behaviour , leaving your country . That's the same for most of you the yordim . I'm Oleh Chadash , from a west European country , did'nt do it for financial advantages , receive nothing .

Are you hiring? I want to apply for an associate hedge fund position.

Charles, with apologies, I find your post difficult understand. What exactly is your point? I am not a member of an unsought-after profession. I am a biotechnology attorney. Again, I'm not quite sure what you're attempting to say to (at?) me, but I commend you on your Aliyah. Truly. But when you're a young professional with a family, "receiving nothing" financially is not an option. Talk is cheap. I'm glad you feel like you're home. Indeed, Israel is the Jewish homeland. But does that mean that every Jew is obligated to struggle in order to live there? I'm not a native Israeli "yored." I was an oleh from the United States who simply couldn't justify dealing with the financial/bureaucratic/employment/cultural problems/frustrations/indignities in Israel, having come from a country where (1) I face none of those problems and (2) it is very easy to be a Jew (we don't have, for instance, the disgusting religious-vs.-secular fight here, and we don't have to fear walking down the street in a kippa like in Western Europe). So spare me your condescension and your "we're home" rhetoric. I served in the IDF and did my part for the Jewish nation. My responsibility is to my family now. And it's amazing to me that you would have the nerve to lecture me about the ideological virtue of being in a Jewish state when you constantly insult Israel's religious Jews in your talkbacks. I find that attitude hard to square with your Israel-is-the-home-for-ever-Jew rhetoric.

I was thinking of someone else who bashes the religious Jews on the talkbacks, not you. Someone from "TA the Free City," whatever that means. Sorry for the inadvertent defamation.

While all this data may be true, the reverse is cERTAINLY true. My sons graduated from MIT and caltech, the two best engineering/science universities in the US. These two brains made aliyah upon graduation, whereas they could have remained in the comfort of the US. They are joined by a growing colony of MIT graduates. They meet on a regular basis with many other ivy league new olim.There are well over 300 alumni from MIT alone who left the US to realize their zionist dreams. The real issue is the upheaval within Israel's higher education system. It must become stabilized, free of political shenanigans and the strong arm tactics of the thuggish student union leadership. Striking every other Monday is NOT a recipe for academic success. Duh. Perhaps it is high time for those in educational power in Israel to collaborate with the successful US graduates, who chose to make aliyah after completing world class education in the US They will have many important ideas to contribute to Israeli higher education. They know what works!

You just a greedy guy, most people in the US of A don't get 8000 Shekels a month, and social services unheard of, this is capitalism as it's best, with homeless people all over the place, millions of poor people, a lot of discrimination and I could go on and on. I'm originally from the UK and I lived in Israel and I loved there and I'm thinking of making Alyah. The problem with you is you just another spoiled American Jew stay where you are, Israel doesn't need people like you . About your comments about Europe...Europe will never be like the US of A and thank G-d for that...Europe will always have their social services for the people who need unlike your country that's why more and more Americans are moving to the UK. I never seen so many poor people in my entire life like I have seen in the USA. Before complaining about Israel look at your own backyard, do a bit of traveling through USA. USA is not Scandinavia which has high standards for all. Israel has done a lot in 60 years and Israel is home for the Jewish people and if you don't like Israel stay where you are.

This is our Jewish country. We need every Jew here. There is more to life than money. I work for about 4,500 shekels per month. I get ripped off by the company. But no one is there to help me. Every day I look outside and see my Jewish holyland. I am not religious,but I feel this is where I belong.Not the N.Y. I grew up. This is the country that I spent over 22 years in the military. If people want to desert Israel and let the enemy hara-dim and arabs take over,then what do you want me to think of them? We pay taxes to support our defense and parasites. If more Jews stayed here,then we could change things. We could make sure there is a Jewish majority in both the Galil and the Negev. By the way, I do not work in my profession now. Fives years of university down the tubes. I made more thirty three years ago in the states than I earned here in my profession. But I live in my land.

Israeli businesspeople going to America have some of the wildest success stories. What does that say? The standards here are higher. From the many US olim I've met hoping to be businesspeople here in Israel, I can say this: the secret is being willing to mix your big plans with flexibility, bottom-level work, and targeting the market (instead of insisting they come to you) while you're starting out. Arrogance gets you NOTHING but enemies, longterm frustration, and ultimately starvation - but a Socialist attitude (never forget where you are!) of brotherly bust-your-b__t can eventually spell $ucce$$, even if you sacrifice and feel like a sucker at first.

Not at all Israel is to blame for its own brain drain! With the disgusting low salaries here paid to Doctors,and other medical professionals,no wonder why they leave here! even the high tech sector is moving abroad because most people want to be able to raise their families in a stable environment away from the front line in the war on terror, they want excellent education for their kids. higher standard of living.. They want a government they can count on whenthe going gets tough! If you want the drain to cease improve education fron Kindergarden through University here,hire outstanding teachers(pay them well). Encourage Medical students to remain here by giving them higher salaries to start with, encourage small businesses togrow,attract more high tech industries to move here,also encourage factories to open.To stop Brain Drain you must make it so nice to live here that Jews from all over the world want to come! Do away with Hunger and homeless in Israel for all the people, become a light unto the nations!