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del.icio.us Digg It!  new Report: Israel-Diaspora relations sink to new low By Cnaan Liphshiz Tags: Isaac Herzog Despite appearances to the contrary, Israel's relationship with Jewish communities abroad has in fact reached an all-time low, a policy paper finds. The conclusion comes from the paper by a group of researchers from the Van Leer Institute, an advanced studies center in Jerusalem. The group proposes some urgent and unorthodox solutions before the issue becomes a major rift. In their paper, which was published earlier this month, the researchers propose three alternatives aimed at giving Diaspora Jews more control over what's going on in Israel in an attempt to salvage the relationship. Advertisement A new approach "The many institutions and organizations entrusted with keeping this bond alive suffer from an acute case of Israelo-centricity," said the man who assembled the team, Professor Gabriel Sheffer from the Hebrew University's political science department. Sheffer said the Jewish Agency and Minister Isaac Herzog's newly formed Ministry for Diaspora Affairs are relics of an antiquated world that need to be replaced. "These organizations encourage immigration to Israel and advocate keeping Israel stronger. But Jews abroad are losing interest in Israel, so that's exactly the wrong strategy," Sheffer told Anglo File with regard to drumming up support overseas. "We need to appeal to the Diaspora on a common Jewish platform and give them more control to rekindle their interest." Sheffer concedes that the leaders of many Jewish communities, especially in the U.S., are at present very committed to Israel. But it's the future that worries him. "It's the old guard's children and grandchildren that Israel needs to win over," he said. In reaction to the policy paper, Herzog's office told Anglo File that the minister "is open to any original idea that can help bolster the bond with the Diaspora." Herzog added: "I see the Diaspora as a central and crucial element in Israel's character. We need to remain very attentive to shifts and changes in Jewish communities abroad." But so far, Israel has failed to do that, according to a number of polls mentioned in the policy paper. A Jewish Agency poll from 2002 which surveyed Jews in the U.S., for example, shows only 31 percent of respondents as saying they feel "very connected to Israel." The team also points to an apparent change in the charity habits of Diaspora Jews when giving to Jewish groups. "Only 25 percent of all donations reach Israel, compared with 75 percent a couple of decades ago," Sheffer said. "It's not uncommon to hear Jews saying they would simply not care if Israel suffered a major catastrophe." The first step to reversing that, Sheffer said, is to admit that Israel is not the definitive center of the Jewish People, as it has always presumed to be. Moreover, Sheffer says that even Israel's alleged status as the only Jewish safe haven in the world has been severely undermined. "When tens of thousands of South African Jews emigrated after the fall of apartheid, most preferred Australia or Canada to Israel," Sheffer said. "And when the Argentina economy collapsed, most of the Jews who left headed for Spain and North America." Sharing power Some of the nine researchers who contributed to the paper said they believe that in order to solicit more involvement from the Diaspora, the state should pass a law - possibly a basic law - to cement Israel's ties with Jewish communities abroad. Shmuel Shenhar, one of the paper's coauthors and former deputy chief of Nativ, the semi-covert governmental organization for encouraging immigration, advocates forming a new state authority headed by six Israeli representatives and six representatives from the Diaspora. That body, which would be sponsored by the state, would completely replace the Jewish Agency and other organizations. Funding for Shenhar's new group - which would have a council of about 200 people - would come from Israel and the Diaspora. "If the Diaspora would feel that it is let in on crucial decisions and that its voice is heard here, then it will produce massive funding. I'm thinking about a budget of $4 billion," Shenhar told Anglo File. But despite his desire to give Diaspora Jews more power at the helm, Shenhar - who used to be the absorption ministry's deputy director - is not prepared to allow them to openly influence security matters. The question of Israeli sovereignty over Jerusalem, for example, would not come up for discussion in Shenhar's theoretical council. "The organization will have a charter that will define its mandate. Anything security related will not be included. But the council will have clout over education, finance, development. You name it." The heart of the problem The growing indifference to Israel's fate on the part of Diaspora Jews stems, according to the paper, from globalization, assimilation, slow population growth and secularization. The absence of state-sponsored anti-Semitism in the West also seems connected. But another crucial reason for the weakening bond is indifference in Israel to the fate of Jews abroad, the paper says. As evidence, the paper points to an opinion poll from 2001 in which only 48 percent of Israeli respondents said they felt they "belong to the Jewish people at large." Less than 30 years earlier, the figure was 66 percent. "The solution to this indifference lies in education. Also abroad, but first of all here, in Israel," Sheffer said. "We need to teach our kids about the Diaspora. Most high-school students don't care about the Diaspora. No wonder then that their Jewish contemporaries abroad have little concern for Israel." Both Sheffer and Shenhar say they are aware that focus on Israel's identity as a Jewish state, first and foremost, would likely invite more criticism from abroad in light of the country's commitments to its Arab minority. According to Sheffer, this shouldn't rule out the tactic. "I don't know about you, but I wouldn't care much about that," Shenhar said. Bookmark to del.icio.us Humanitarian Crisis The Red Cross says conditions have worsened in Palestinian areas. 'Sacred basin' At Camp David, Israel pushed for a body to ensure religious freedom in J'lem for all.   1.   STEP BY STEP 11:55  |  Jay A Friedman 30/11/07   2.   There is good reason 12:30  |  Natallie Durson 30/11/07   3.   Israel-Diaspora relations 14:04  |  Poppy 30/11/07   4.   massive marketing by republicans 14:25  |  jw 30/11/07   5.   massive marketing by republicans 14:29  |  jw 30/11/07   6.   market hot girls and guys in adverts 14:33  |  jw 30/11/07   7.   Olmet`s stand will cause the biggest return in history. 16:06  |  make room 30/11/07   8.   Israel-Diaspora relations 16:36  |  Lloyd Masel 30/11/07   9.   Look to yourselves 16:50  |  Steve from Raleigh 30/11/07   10.   Concerned 17:57  |  Eli Sh 30/11/07   11.   Its the Fault of some Israelis...... 18:56  |  Natasha 30/11/07   12.   One-way street ? 19:28  |  David 30/11/07   13.   Sad 19:49  |  Sol 30/11/07   14.   Diaspora Jews 19:51  |  Sharon 30/11/07   15.   Israel-Diaspora Relations 20:48  |  Avi 30/11/07   16.   Diaspora 21:05  |  joseph theeboom 30/11/07   17.   MAYBE ISRAEL IS TO BLAME????? 21:33  |  Jordan 30/11/07   18.   MAYBE ISRAEL MIZRACHIM ARE TO BLAME????? 21:41  |  Jordan 30/11/07   19.   N.DURSON GOOD REASON? RUBBISH REASON. 21:46  |  Jordan 30/11/07   20.   Pretty scenery? 21:55  |  Sharon 30/11/07   21.   Diaspora Judaism 21:58  |  CHGODMK 30/11/07   22.   Diaspora Jews care for decent countries only 22:59  |  Chanalau, Tova 30/11/07   23.   Bravo Israel ! Lebanon should do the same with its powerful Diasp 23:51  |  Jean-Edouard Lebanes 30/11/07   24.   Diaspora Is The Stepchild 00:49  |  Not Amused 01/12/07   25.   Chanalau, what on Earth are you waffling about? 00:56  |  Jake 01/12/07   26.   Chanalau, go, run to your Chavez 01:04  |  jAKE 01/12/07   27.   Not Amused 03:08  |  CHGODMK 01/12/07   28.   T0 # 2 12:46  |  The Teacher/Instruct 01/12/07   29.   Lloyd Masel 14:35  |  CHGODMK 01/12/07   30.   Diaspora come home 18:50  |  Gordon 01/12/07   31.   president accused of rape:pm accused of cronyism and corruption 19:21  |  ** THE ANSWER ** 01/12/07   32.   ..Finally... 19:51  |  Not in my name 01/12/07   33.   Not in my name, what do you think has caused this change of 23:35  |  RealCurious 01/12/07   34.   #33 03:43  |  Not in my name 02/12/07   35.   No 20 Sharon Phoenix 12:19  |  Poppy 02/12/07   36.   To Poppy, #35 19:16  |  Gordon 02/12/07   37.   #35 & #36 00:03  |  Sharon 03/12/07   38.   CHGOGMK #21 - Good points 06:09  |  dana 03/12/07   39.   Interesting 07:49  |  Dave 03/12/07   40.   The heart of the matter... 10:09  |  Joe 03/12/07   41.   Hard to identify with... 10:18  |  Sherlock Holmes 03/12/07   42.   Where our charity money goes 10:21  |  Ben Azai 03/12/07   43.   can you blame them 18:24  |  edgar 03/12/07   44.   Jewish pluralism matters 19:31  |  john 03/12/07   45.   I think Israeli hawks alienate many Diaspora Jews 20:49  |  newageblues 03/12/07   46.   article making a simple story complicated 00:52  |  david 04/12/07   47.   eli sh 10 15:50  |  realism 11/12/07   48.   Relations with the Diaspora 20:48  |  Joseph 12/12/07

Today Online Document reveals progress on core issues at Camp David Responses: 242 Rosner: U.S. report on Iran should have been tossed, not published Responses: 83 Red Cross: Israel worsening Palestinian humanitarian crisis Responses: 108 Russia: Deal reached with Iran on nuclear plant construction Responses: 44 Avineri: U.S. only effective on Mideast conflict in war or talks Responses: 48 More Headlines 23:44 Barak declares 'special situation' in Sderot 23:11 IAF strike kills 3 Palestinians detected launching Qassam 23:37 U.S. ambassador to UN calls Iran report a 'goal against ourselves' 01:07 Bush warns Syria not to interfere in Lebanese politics 19:09 Greek historian convicted over book denying the Holocaust 02:03 Record number of students to take part in Birthright Israel this year 20:05 Druze MK probed for contacts with foreign agent 17:07 Red Cross: Israel worsening Palestinian humanitarian crisis 18:36 Olmert vows to reduce class sizes in major education reform Previous Editions Select Day 13 dec 12 dec 11 dec 10 dec 09 dec 07 dec 06 dec 05 dec 04 dec 03 dec 02 dec 30 nov

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