Subscribe to Print Edition | Sun., June 08, 2008 Sivan 5, 5768 | | Israel Time: 09:40 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Peres Conference Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Last update - 04:14 05/06/2008 New plan to offer tax breaks to Western immigrants By Anshel Pfeffer Tags: israel, aliyah  A new program will offer Jews from Western countries tax breaks and other accommodations, as incentives to immigrate to Israel. The program, proposed by the Jewish Agency and the Absorption and Interior ministries, will offer new Jewish immigrants temporary residency status, and would exempt them from most taxes and national service for several years. Immigrants who continue to run businesses abroad also will receive tax exemptions. The proposal is part of the Jewish Agency's attempt to compete with private aliyah organizations such as Nefesh B'Nefesh, which assists North American and British Jews with housing and job hunting. Advertisement The Jewish Agency saw its funds drop drastically due to the dollar's plunge against the shekel, since donations by U.S. philanthropists constitute a considerable part of its budget. In addition, major Jewish American donors have become less willing to contribute to the Jewish Agency's general fund, instead opting to donate to their pet projects through private funds. The organization's attempt to find new sources of income, through cooperation with Russian-Israeli financier Arcadi Gaydamak last year and the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews this year, ran aground due to differences of opinion over control of the funds. In order to balance its budget, the Agency has had to reform its aliyah encouragement setup. As a consequence, dozens of Jewish Agency emissary positions have been cut. Jewish Agency officials hope that a new global information center will take the place of foreign emissaries in providing information to potential immigrants. Related articles: Jewish Agency budget stung by lower donations, weak dollar Jewish Agency aliya chief quits over policy changes Jewish Agency turns to Haredi donors as budget dwindles Bookmark to del.icio.us   Terrorist donuts U.S. Arabs irate over criticism of celebrity cook's kaffiyeh. All the way to hell Rosner's blog: It's Obama's good intentions that pro-Israel activists fear.   1.   spending to much to encourage tempory residency is a waste of mon 04:59  |  zionist forever 05/06/08   2.   Why only western countries ? 05:03  |  Truth 05/06/08   3.   To #2 Truth 07:18  |  Gershon Reed 05/06/08   4.   Tax Breaks Urgently Needed 08:50  |  Prince 05/06/08   5.   How about just cut taxes, paperwork for everybody? 09:25  |  Burned Liberal 05/06/08   6.   How do I cancel my aliyah from 5 years ago to do this? 10:13  |  nh 05/06/08   7.   Ho hum the embezzelers strike again 11:09  |  Jew-girl 05/06/08   8.   How about a break for all of us and disband the Jewish agency 11:13  |  Neuplan 05/06/08   9.   The Jewish Agency should be disbanded 12:01  |  sh 05/06/08   10.   And those here because they are Zionists? 14:40  |  EJ 05/06/08   11.   Israel Jewish population 05:14  |  EGW 07/06/08   12.   Disband the Histadrut and Jewish Agency now 23:00  |  Right on 07/06/08   13.   Disband the Histadrut and Jewish Agency now 23:00  |  Right on 07/06/08   14.   A good idea will sell itself 09:04  |  Rob of melbourne 08/06/08

Read & React Shmuel Rosner: Obama and Jerusalem - did you really believe him? Responses: 28 U.S. proposes trilateral talks with Israel and PA Responses: 5 Defense sources:Talk of major IDF operation in Gaza is premature Responses: 4 Zvi Bar'el: Assad and Ahmadinejad - Kadima's winning candidates Send response More Headlines 07:18 U.S. proposes trilateral talks with Israel and PA 08:03 Hamas militant killed, another wounded by IDF fire in Gaza 08:36 Defense sources: Talk of major IDF operation in Gaza is premature 07:38 IAEA slams Mofaz remark that attack on Iran seems 'unavoidable' 08:39 Battered by rockets, Gaza-area kibbutz heads north for Shavuot 05:52 Remembering when our cause was just 08:32 ANALYSIS / Mofaz's Iran comments too high a price for party politics 07:58 Black Jewish filmmaker sets out to capture her identity 08:35 EU dignitaries hurt by IDF fire during West Bank protest 00:30 Clinton halts presidency bid, endorses Obama 08:34 Conditionally Jewish Previous Editions Select Day 06 jun 05 jun 04 jun 03 jun 02 jun 01 jun 30 may 29 may 28 may 27 may 26 may 25 may

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