Ministry official: Too many Filipinas trying to marry Israelis
Document obtained by Haaretz reveals Interior Ministry trend of trying to prevent Israeli-Fillipina marriages.
By Dana Weiler-Polak Tags: Israel newsShlomo Tzagir, an Israeli, and Suzanne Kapistrano, a Filipina, met and fell in love about 18 months ago. In January 2009, they submitted a request to the Interior Ministry to begin the gradual, five-year process to obtain citizenship for Kapistrano on the basis of their relationship, so that Kapistrano could remain in Israel.
However, the Interior Ministry denied the request, citing doubts about "the sincerity of the relationship."
Moreover, a document obtained by Haaretz reveals that the decision reflects a trend of trying to prevent marriages between Israelis and Filipinas.
"Too many Filipinas are going this road. It must stop and they must be removed from the country," the document states.
Kapistrano, 52, a widow and mother of two, came to Israel in 2001 as a caregiver. In December 2007, her employer died, and she remained in Israel on the same work visa. Six months later, Tzagir's neighbor introduced them.
"After we talked on the phone, we clicked right away," Tzagir said.
"We went together to my daughter's wedding, and the whole family gave their blessing," Tzagir, 67, said.
A month after the couple submitted their request at the Holon branch of the Interior Ministry, they were called in for an interview with a clerk, Rivka Novick. In her report, Novick wrote: "After a short acquaintence, the two moved in together. They went to Eilat and Tiberias together, and based on photos they presented, they attended Shlomo's family events together. Shlomo said he had found the woman he had been seeking, who respects him and listens to his requests. She seemed happy to have found a partner and apparently also a way to stay in Israel."
Novik recommended approving the request, as did her superior, Ephraim Shviro.
However the official in charge of granting visas in Holon - whose name the Interior Ministry declined to confirm - denied the request.
Since Kapistrano's employer died, the official wrote, Kapistrano "has been here without a visa, waiting for a knight so she could get a visa to stay in Israel."
Without meeting the couple, the official concluded that the relationship was "for convenience only." She wrote: "He has someone to take care of him, and she has a way of staying in Israel legally."
"Since she remained in Israel without a visa, and too many Filipinas go this road, it must be stopped and they must be removed from the country. Will this help us?" she wrote.
In March 2009, the Interior Ministry sent the couple a letter, informing them that their request had been denied, and ordered Kapistrano to leave the country within two weeks. An appeal was also denied.
The couple then appealed to the Court for Administrative Matters in Tel Aviv against Interior Minister Eli Yishai.
Ten days ago, the Interior Ministry's enforcement unit arrested Kapistrano. She was released from custody last weekend by order of the Tel Aviv District Court vice president, Judge Esther Covo.
The Interior Ministry said: "The visa department head's stance relates to a phenomenon that the ministry's employees encounter, although every case is specifically examined. This was an internal ministry document, but that does not justify remarks of this type. Either way, since a petition has been submitted, the issue will be resolved in court."
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Shlomo Tzagir and wife Suzanne Kapistrano. |
| Photo by: (Tali Meir) |
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if they are good enough to take care of your lover ones they are good enough to marry.
Yes, the only so called, "democratic state in the ME " is performing again as a democracy. Not only discriminating Palestinians but every one who is not a jew. By endlessly repeating the mantra "we are democratic" one doesn't make itself democratic. For obtaining that, one must do something, not just repeating mantras, for instance granting the same rights to Paelstinians as the jews have
Is it true that Arab Israelis are not allowed to marry anyone from outside Israel, Filipina or not?
when Mussolini ruled Italy, espacially in the last yaers of his dictature, he was speaking of relationship between italians soldiers and ethiops women exactly as your minister is doing today. I don't mind that's a beautful thing when a minister of a democracy has on mixed couple the same ideas of a brutal, racista (and, of course, rabid antisemite) dictator
Simply sickening. It appears to me Eli Yishai?s fascinations with Jewish purity dreams. That is just the way it is here in Israel. Coalition governments are open to abuse and the general mood in this country is that of apathy and helplessness. Could you imagine what kind of life the Aged would have without the devoted and hard work of these Asian women? Israeli men marry Filipinas and will continue to do so in increasing numbers because they feel they are lucky to have this treasures full of love, kindness and devotion. Israel and its citizens are only better off for having and accepting them as foreign workers and citizens.
they can always go and live in ireland labbo!!
1800 years and still running.
..fantastic cooks. Lets face it, many an Israeli that is married to such a delicate person will never regret said decision. I say so, for we have some friends that are almost in the same age group as the above mentioned. Lucky fellows they are. Regarding the Men from the Ministry...! "Well", they are subservient to certain laws applicable in many countries, vis a vis arranged marriages. Good day.
You get a Chinese-Mexican Jew. Much stronger than this Polish Body I have.
The Interior Ministry of Israel is racist, but there's no surprise there. The Filipinas are modest, sincere, hard working women who deserve a chance. Many Israeli men are fed up with the nasty mentality of the typical Israeli tzabarit and prefer to partner up with a docile Filipina instead. I don't blame them.
It's sad to know that no matter how much changes some of the same garbage stays the same. Sad
January 12, 2010 No wonder that anti-semiticism is on the rise. Vic
avoiding admitting that this is an Israeli Policy that affects certain nationalities more than others. Of course this policy is not fully applied on Ukrainians or Russians - It is politically sensitive to upset the Million "Soviet" Jews who settled in Israel in the last 19 years. Meanwhile the Philippine's Ambassador can leave if he does not like either!
He cannot open his mouth or run his ministry without his signature racism.
Many marriages are 'for covenience'. Its common for a woman to look for a man with resources, or a man to look for a woman with 'reproductive potential'. Israel is imitating the 'culture of bureaucracy'. If it at least tried to force Jewish values on its citizens it might have a leg. But it ultimately is reduced to forcing instead the same political, economic etc values as other generic agencies. Just pass a law saying everyone has to be Jewish if they want to get married, or they can pay a fine of 10,000 nip (New Israel Pesos) to have a rabbi tell 'god' that "its ok, she's one of us".
Personally, I think Phillipinas are exotic and make good looking kids. I'm all for mixing-up the gene pool, especially after thousands of years of racial isolation. Having said that, I'm also for those in favor of maintaining their offspring raciialy'pure'. And I don't beleive that those who choose to do so are racists.
How do filipinas ruin your country, by giving their devotion and their heart in taking care of your elderly?
I am far from being a leftist. I employ several thai workers in my orchards, and I am glad to have them and hope they could stay. I have a filipino young lady who cares for my household and my intimate life and if we'll have children together, as I hope, I will declare them and keep them all next to me as we are all happy with each other. and let the rabinnical interiour ministry stop their un bearable conduct.
Israel should not be expected to be the dumping ground for those whom other countries do not admit . And identity is important for a such a small country .
Thousands of African Muslims are braking down doors to get into Israel , foreign workers are flooding the country . And a tiny Israel is expected to accommodate . True , there are few exceptions , but the majority of invaders are trying to have a good life Israel offers . Israel should not oblige , she should vigorously protect her identity , and there is nothing racist about .
Marriage is so inherently difficult best to do it within the faith.
During the Inquisition of cursed memory,Spain exiled many Jews, that could bribe the "authorities" to the Phillipines...Most of the Phillipine people that bear portuguese/spanish names decend from those ANUSSIM.The same all over Latin America...Israel needs good people.Once converted and educated,they could be very reliable JEWS...
One of the reasons the Shas Party was founded was because the ultra-Orthodox party of the time, Agudat Israel, was both Ashkenazi in its practice and racist in its outlook, and considered Sephardi and Asian-African Jews to be inferior (as they still do today). However, as it turns out, Shas is no less racist than the Ashkenazi ultra-Orthodox, and is, moreover, much more fascist in its political outlook.
The difference, of course, is that Filipinas are not generally anti-Semitic. But they're not white (horror of horrors).
The answer is....TOO MANY NITWITS in the ministry..Is this all they have to worry about? Don't they care a bit about human happiness and well being? What narrow minded creatures.!!!!!
sounds like a bandaid. Nothing about love and mutual respect. I do not think this woman will be 100% happy, he wants basically a someone who will do his bidding. What does she want? i hope i am wrong and that they will be wonderfully happy. It is just that something about his desires made me cringe, put his needs first. I dont believe marriages thrive when it is only onesided needs are considered.
Just go home. If these people are not treating you fairly, just go home. Philippines is a beautiful country. If your Jewish husband wants to go with you Kapistrano, then take him with you. Show him the Philippine hospitality and how nice Filipina wives are.
If it happens in New York or London or where you will, if it looks like racism, smells like racism and talks like a racist you damn well betcha, it's racism. In any case, it is of no matter what happens else where, we are responsible for our own actions. Imagine an article in the NY Times, "Israelis marrying Americans in order to by-pass green card requirements". Now imagine the reaction of the same Israelis condoning the actions of our Ministry of the Interior.
How many Israelis go to the Ukraine to marry Ukrainian beauties.The Ministry of Interior turns a blind eye to this.I happen to be marrried to a Filipino and have experienced all the bureaucracy and discrimination so I know what it's all about. The problem lies with the officials at Ministry of Interior whose judgement is always cockeyed.
"....leftists have a clear choice to leave the Jewish nation forever and join a notion of their choice,with my blessings" Are you sitting in Manhattan in an Internet coffee place, suggesting that the backbone of the Israeli army shall leave Israel? Is that the new definition of Zionism? Is that a blessing?
It's tiresome to hear all those Israely leftists complaining about their civil rights.The Jewish nation should return to it's root values.All the Golstones and other leftists have a clear choice to leave the Jewish nation forever and join a notion of their choice,with my blessings
"Too many Filipinas are going this road. It must stop and they must be removed from the country," This is racist policy (though certainly not unique in the world).
If you want other people to stay out of your country, why do you: 1. Keep thousands of Philippines to take care of your parents 2. Use Thai people in your agriculture 3. Have Chinese to build your houses 4. Use Russian women for prostitution 4. Palestinians (when they are allowed) to clean your gardens? I will be surprised if you dare to answer this...
You mean the UN filled with anti-Israeli and anti-Jewish countries? You don't even know what Zionism is.
Dear Kaska, why are you trying to twist the truth? United Nations General Assembly Resolution 46/86 passed on December 16, 1991, revoked Resolution 3379 with a vote of 111 to 25, with 13 abstentions. Now teach me something about Switzerland. Was it racism when Switzerland voted against Moslem Minarets a couple of months ago?
This is not racism. The truth is that the people of Israel do not approve it. In fact, they suffer too. Just ask any Israeli how much sympathy they got towards Interior Ministry - NONE. This is a clear case of incompetent government official that unfortunately Interior Ministry has many. The main cause to this problem is, playing religion in the government. This is how incompetent people are getting in.
We've already fought and died for our own children to make this a great country, please come in, take advantage of us. SEND THEM BACK. Israel cannot afford the population risks. Those people should stay and make their own countries better, not run away and ruin ours.
When you try to preserve a Jewish majority (or an Christian majority, Arab majority....) That is racisme. When it's so important for you that your "race" is the most present in your society, that is racism. But are we still trying to prove Israel is racist? UN resolution clearly stated for 20 years that Zionism = Racism, the only reason that resolution was latter cancelled was because of a US Veto (that no one else backed). Sorry but in our minds, if the US veto is what cancelled it, well basically it means it should still be there.
Eli Yishai is a religious man that actively works against intermarriage. It is his religious agenda. Few seculerized Israelis have these thougts. When a country is mixing its civil laws with old religious noncence, this happens. I know that Jews in Israel do not think that they are of a better race or are standing above other people, but the outcome is horrible. I wish that the couple may have a good and happy life together. I wish that she can be burried next to her husband when that times comes. Most of all, I hope that she will have the same civil rights as her Jewish husband, something that is impossible in the Israeli sociaty of today. Its a big shame for Israel...
If they want to get married what is honestly the problem? Glad Haaretz exposed this, it should be stopped.
in europe and the us, visa or residency is refused if the relation is not genuine. It is not refused because they are too many filipinas trying to marry them
"Too many Filipinas are going this road. It must stop and they must be removed from the country," the document states"The Mministry Get it Freddy----no. Ok lets edit it slightly!!!. ""Too many "jews" are going this road. It must stop and they must be removed from the country," the document states" Now do you get it Freddy?????.
Be thankful the Israeli Gov't is trying to protect the public from the scourge of Philipino Mercenaries of the so-called "Old School", which is the same as the "New School", except for superficial differences. In the last 25 years, every job I have had; aerospace, city gov't,hospitals; all taken over by huge Philipino majorities in the rank and file, including management. When they are in management a double standard becomes accepted practice. If I do anything that bothers any Philipino, 95% of the Philipinos and their "friends" will not speak to me or will verbally abuse me or physically assault me, then they will all refuse to work with me and demand my termination. Management's attitude is "well,these people can't ALL be wrong so management has serious concerns". If you do not apologize, prostate yourself,eat crow they will try to fire you for anything. If given a chance they will in a heartbeat. You have to be more competent than all of them combined to survive. ONLY THE STRONG.
In the USA there is procedure to grant or deny visa to stay for a citizen who married a foreigner. In Europe thousands of workers are sent back to their country as visas are not given or not renewed. Are they racists ? We wouldn't dare to call them racists...but if Israel does exactly the same....it is a racist move....Or it is racist everywhere or it is racist nowhere ! Start complaining in the US and in Europe...they will give Israel the example :-))
In a way, I'm happy the clerk made the mistake of writing down the racist policy that is obviously in place but until now 'unwritten'. Good luck with your legal battle, and yes, love and freedom will prevail!!!!