This Christmas Help Break Tourism Record, Visit Israel, Make Aliya


By Joel Leyden
Israel News Agency

New York, NY---- December 23, 2010 ..... It's been 23 years since this writer has experienced Christmas in the US.

No matter where you look, where you go, what you hear, you can not escape America's most celebrated holiday - Christmas.
Almost every home is decorated with brightly colored, cheerful Christmas lights. Every store is saturated with red and green colors. Christmas music with Salvation Army volunteers twisting their wrists in nonstop motion ringing bells.

From TV, radio and the Web 2.0 to Starbucks, Walmart and CVS, from New York, Hartford and Miami to Los Angeles, Chicago and the Vail, Aspen and Killington ski resorts - it is Christmas.

A time for family, friends and businesses to celebrate relationships, eggnog and sales.

But for much of the Jewish population in the US, it is a lonesome time. Jews celebrate Hannukah. We may embrace the Christmas spirit of joy, peace and happiness, but it is not our holiday as Ramadan is not a Jewish holiday.

Unlike Israel, where one would have to travel to Bethlehem, Nazareth, Jaffa or a handful of restaurants in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem to see the word Christmas, here in the US, it's the world biggest party, but the Jews have not been invited. And even if we have been encouraged to join in at Christmas office parties, sing festive songs and eat Christmas cakes and ginger bread men, many feel as the wrong person in the wrong place.

What to do?

Visit the sunny, warm beaches of Israel. Get that suntan while enjoying hikes in the Negev, walking through the old, ancient streets of Jerusalem, say a pray at the Western Wall, plant a tree in the Carmel Forest near Haifa, enjoy Tel Aviv nightlife or even get in some skiing at the Israel well groomed, modern ski resort Mt. Hermon.

You can join the record-breaking tourism to Israel, which has enjoyed over 3 million visitors - 700,000 more than in 2009 - arriving in Israel.

Some 2.4 million of them are Christian pilgrims.

'Tourism is a bridge to peace and dialogue among cultures,' says the Israel's Tourism Ministry of Tourism. 'Most importantly, tourism can also contribute to building trust between our nations.'

So if one really wants to celebrate peace, contribute to Israel's economy as a tourist.

And if you like what you see - come live in Israel.

Making Aliya or immigrating to Israel is coming home.

In fact, approximately 110,000 North American immigrants live in Israel. There has been a steady flow of Olim from the US since Israel declared independence in 1948. Record numbers of Jews from the US arrived in the late 1960s after the Six-Day War, and in the 1970s. Like Western European immigrants, North Americans tend to immigrate to Israel more for religious, ideological and political purposes, and not financial ones.

Nefesh B'Nefesh, which was founded in 2002 by Rabbi Yehoshua Fass and Tony Gelbart, works to encourage Aliyah from North America and the UK by providing financial assistance, employment services and streamlined governmental procedures. Nefesh B’Nefesh works in cooperation with the Jewish Agency and the Israel Government in increasing the numbers of North American and UK Olim.

In 2009, Aliyah from the US and Canada was at its highest level in 36 years - a total of 3,324 North Americans immigrated to Israel.

 


Not all who make Aliya survive. Given the large cultural differences and financial challenges of finding employment and enough money to pay your rent and gas, many return to the US.

The number of Israelis living in the United States grew by about 30 percent over the past decade, according to newly released US Census Bureau figures.

Some 140,323 people living in the United States today were born in Israel, up from 109,720 in 2000. Of the Israelis living here, 90,179 have US citizenship.

But Israeli expatriates and Israel government sources say the true figure is actually much higher. An Israel Foreign Ministry study in 2003 reported that 500,000 Israelis were living in the US, according to the Israeli daily Yediot Achronot.

The numbers suggest that migration to America from Israel exceeds American immigration to Israel, or Aliyah. From 2000 through 2009, 23,640 US citizens made Aliyah, according to the Jewish Agency for Israel.

If such numbers are to be believed, then there are at least half a million Israelis in America, affirming the Israeli Foreign Ministry report of 2003. Aside from New York and Los Angeles, the metropolitan areas of Boston, San Francisco and Miami have significant Israeli populations.

So which figures are more accurate, the census figures or the Jewish estimates?

Leonard Saxe, director of the Cohen Center for Modern Jewish Studies at Brandeis University, notes that many Israelis in the United States are here temporarily and may not be counted as “residents.”

He also states that many people holding Israel passports may not have been born in Israel but in the former Soviet Union or the US. They would not show up in the Census Bureau statistics but would be counted as Israel citizens by most other estimates, including those of the Israeli government.

But even if Aliya is not a total success, just having contributed to Israel for a few years would be counted as a success. As some US Jews return to New York, Chicago or LA, they come back with a renewed and vibrant sense of being Jewish.

Jason Alster, an award winning researcher in the fields of neuro-diagnostics and the author of Leaving Home, Going Home, Returning Home, states: "My book is a positive account on how to follow your dreams. That home is where you make it. And that the Jewish people of today are different than they were 50 years ago."

Alster, whose book is actually ground breaking in that it is perhaps the only objective, positive and honest account which addresses Americans who have made Aliya and then returned to the US.

"In discovering America and Israel one of the things that I noticed is what differentiates Americans from Israel is what we refer to as the pursuit of happiness. This is a fundamental part of Americana in contrast to Israel which is a different form of democracy which places a priority on Jewish values over individualism."

Alster adds: "As one who is interested in the success of other people, and drawing upon my own personal successful Aliya (immigration), I wanted to write a detailed account that others could relate to. These could be those contemplating Aliya, those who have made Aliya and those who have returned from Israel. The book also serves as an excellent resource for diplomats, media professionals, cross cultural practitioners and educators who seek a greater understanding of Israeli culture."

"Since the five years that I wrote Leaving Home, Going Home, Returning Home it has been brought to my attention that a significant amount of people moved back from Israel and I feel that one of the main reasons is that they lost their native support system. I am referring to those who came before such brilliant organizations such as Birthright and Nefesh B'Nefesh came into existence."

Alster adds: "The Jewish Agency neglected to follow up on those who made Aliya. Many who made Aliya became like a kind of Hayal Boded - a lone soldier who were forced to fend for themselves without the natural protexia or born into networking that Sabras, native born Israelis enjoy. I am pleased that there are new organizations today such as Nefesh B’Nefesh and Gvahim that look after Olim throughout the entire aliya process. They bring badly needed US skills, culture and money into Israel."

“Finding a job in Israel is one of the key factors for a successful transition into life in Israel,” said Director of Employment of Nefesh B’Nefesh Rachel Berger. “Providing potential Olim with a better understanding of the Israeli job market helps build their Aliyah confidence and preparedness and is vital for ensuring their successful integration into Israeli life.”

It is this sort of professionalism reflected in Berger's statement that truly gives making Aliya a real and honest chance to succeed. And as part of Nefesh B'Nefesh’s expanded programming aimed at providing the most comprehensive Aliyah information, guidance and inspiration to potential Olim, the organization has conducted a series of Mega Aliyah events in major cities across North America.

As for his take on Christmas, Alster, a Hartford resident adds: "Christmas is a holiday my Christian neighbors celebrate and for them it is all about love. This I have to respect it as I wish they would celebrate my Jewish holidays with me. After all we are both actors in the same movie of the Judea Christian tradition."

So this Christmas, rather than feel alienated come home to Israel.

Come as a tourist. Come as an immigrant. Whether you stay for two weeks or 20 years, enjoy the sun, enjoy the history, enjoy your land.

And should you ever miss that Christmas spirit, warm eggnog, white and red candy canes and snowy pictures of Santa Claus you have Mike's Place restaurant just feet away from those playing volleyball on the Tel Aviv beach.


 

The above news content was edited and SEO optimized in Israel by the Leyden Digital PR SEO New Media Group - Israel, New York.



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