| It is right that in terms of total Russian-Israeli population the numbers of those who leave are not huge. The real problem is that these are the most able, hard-working and educated that leave. I lived in Israel for more than 10 yrs since my aliya from Russia, served in IDF, inclduing miluim, completed a bachelor degree and paid my taxes. Now, after a graduate degree in the US, I live and work in NYC. Among educated Russian Israelis of my age that I know, there is at least 15-20% working, studying or just living abroad. Many of them are in US or UK, but the plurality is in Russia / Ukraine / Baltic states. Main reasons? Professional self-esteem; money; inability to marry and live together in Israel with non-israeli spouse. Just wanted to show a more precise picture of the phenomenon - it is not mass emigration, but very worrying and of a great scale in terms of economic and social damage to sane, secular and civilized (and also shrinking) part of Israel. |
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