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IDF olim program pulls in record numbers By Cnaan Liphshiz The army's program for recruiting young ex-Israelis and Diaspora Jews is set to break all previous attendance records tomorrow, with the arrival of the last members of a group of close to 160 fresh recruits from the U.S. and several other Western countries. The current group comprises 20 new immigrants and 140 sons and daughters of Israelis who left Israel, according to Ruth Sapir, the spokesperson for the Israel Scout Movement, which runs the program along with the Israel Defense Forces, the Jewish Agency, MASA and the Absorption Ministry. Advertisement She added that the enterprise has seen a 500-percent increase in attendance since 2003, with last year's group reaching an attendance of 140. The class of 2006 was 120-strong. Since its inception in 1991, the Garin Tzabar project has brought hundreds of young Jews for army service, with many of them staying to study and live in Israel. All in the family According to Rotem Yoeli, Executive Director of Israeli Scouts in Israel, some 80 percent of the 1,000-odd participants who enlisted under Tzabar stayed in Israel after completing their service. He added that the Scout Movement's records show that approximately 30 percent of the people who stayed eventually brought their parents and their families to live in Israel. Most Tzabar recruits, he said, opt for combat service, with 20 percent volunteering to become officers in the Israel Defense Forces. In the weeks leading up to their enlistment to various Israel Defense Forces units, the 160 participants will stay in six kibbutzim in the Galilee. Bookmark to del.icio.us   An astounding 'no' Palestinians reject PM's offer to return 93% of West Bank, calling it a 'waste of time.' No friend of ours Iranian VP gets summoned by parliament for saying Iran is a friend of Israel's.

Read & React Olmert gives Abbas plan for Israeli pullout from 93% of W. Bank Responses: 303 Aluf Benn: Hamas could still turn Gaza into the Taiwan of the Mideast Responses: 40 Editorial: IDF is prepared to turn blind eye to illegal shooting of bound Palestinian Responses: 54 Iranian VP summoned by parliament after saying Iran is a friend of Israel, U.S. Responses: 20 Moshe Arens: Iran has blinded Israeli leaders to Hamas, Hezbollah threat Responses: 21 More Headlines 00:21 Barak: Dedicate each day of Gaza calm to freeing Shalit 01:21 Georgia agrees to modified France's modified peace proposal 00:37 Israeli journalist seriously hurt while covering Georgia clashes 22:10 'We've reached a safe haven,' say Israelis returning from Georgia 01:31 Dichter joins Kadima race, fires opening salvos at Mofaz, Livni 20:54 Iranian VP summoned by parliament after saying Iran a friend of Israel, U.S. 21:41 'Zohan' actor Rob Schneider learns to haggle at Jaffa flea market 08:14 Haaretz newsletter: All the news from Israel direct to your inbox 16:32 PA rejects Olmert's offer to withdraw from 93% of West Bank 20:59 Beijing Olympics / Tennis hopes dashed as Israeli swimmers break records 23:12 Syria's top cleric: Middle East peace starts in Syria 17:01 Bar-On's 2009 budget proposal: More money for defense, welfare, education 15:01 Israel grants war vet status to woman raped by British troops in Mandate Palestine 22:03 Government to move illegal outpost Migron to existing settlement Previous Editions Select Day 12 aug 11 aug 10 aug 08 aug 07 aug 06 aug 05 aug 04 aug 03 aug 01 aug 31 jul 30 jul

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