At the end of May, a Israel Fair was held in Venezuela where a dramatic increase in Israel opportunities was reported by the delegation. Venezuela, a once stable country has been plagued by mass strikes and an economy in crisis.

Sprouting Ideas

There are few signs indicating a tempering in the waves of anti-semitism disrupting Jewish life in France and Belgium. The combination of old anti-Semitism and the new, largely Muslim anti-Israel based anti-Semitism continues to make life disquieting. Bi-annual Student and Aliyah Fairs were held in Paris, Marseille and Lyon with hundreds taking part in each. The Belgian Jewish community pulled together for the largest ever Israel Solidarity Fair with an enthusiastic crowd of approximately six thousand.

Across the Channel, in addition to the protracted Independence Day celebrations, emissaries orchestrate a routine program of Israel and aliyah-related events. Information Days for new immigrants and for returning Israelis were recently held in London, in addition to a Housing and Aliyah Fair in early June, which drew a crowd of over a thousand. Avi Hausman, Head of the UK Aliyah Delegation, says that tens of housing deals were closed at the Fair, and much interest was expressed in Ashdod, which was represented by Mayor Zvi Zilker, who spoke to groups and individuals about his city.

In South Africa and Australia, the calendar is booked for months in advance with Israel-focused programs. Heightened cooperation between the Jewish Agency emissaries and the local Jewish communities has fostered supplementary Israel programming in schools and community centers.

Building Community and Channels for Aliyah

Publications, fairs, summer camps, clubs and aliyah groups are all part of a well-ensconced institutional network which provides an infrastructure for Jewish life and keeps Israel alive for Jews in the Former Soviet Union. Building on the success of last year’s seminar for FSU publication coordinators, a group arrived in May, prepared for an intensive five days of workshops, tours and lectures. Seminar organizer, Alexandra Voloshin of the Russian Unit of the Publications Section of the Immigration and Absorption Department, is pleased to report that the Jewish newspapers are a tool not only for aliyah promotion, but for exposing Israel to a broader public. For example, they are a key instrument in advertising the fairs held around the FSU which each routinely draw thousands of participants. A recent Higher Education Fair in Riga drew close to 5,000 participants. Shlomo Kim, the local Jewish Agency emissary, emphasizes that “In addition to exposing a large population to Israel, personal contacts developed between Israel representatives and local school principals and academicians.”

Although not all the participants at the Israel-oriented activity will make aliyah today or tomorrow, the tireless work of emissaries abroad and support services in Israel, keep aliyah and Israel on the agenda for Jews in every part of the world.

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