Abroad doesn't have to mean lost

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is correct in drawing the government's attention to the human capital that exists among Israelis living abroad. A great many citizens have chosen to make their homes outside of Israel, and some of them have done very well for themselves, in the worlds of academia, business and culture. At the same time, the premier is wrong in limiting the discussion to the question of encouraging their return to Israel by offering financial incentives - an approach that has been tried, and has failed, many times in the past.

According to estimates, between 500,000 and 750,000 Israelis reside abroad permanently. Despite programs aimed at luring them back home over the years, studies have shown that only a small proportion actually return, and even among these, the official "basket" of incentives has played only a marginal role in their decision.

In the reality of a knowledge economy, it's understandable that our leaders would want to recruit the Israeli (and Jewish) human capital living in the Diaspora. But in the Web-connected world of today, it's not necessary for them to return physically in order to make use of their knowledge and skills. Cheaper modes of transportation and advanced communication infrastructures allow even developing countries - not to mention developed ones like Israel - to import this knowledge without actually importing the citizens.

Beyond the ethical problems implicit in the idea of appealing to a handful of "stars" and ignoring the others living abroad, the central question need not be how to stop the brain drain. It's clear that the majority of those who left would have difficulty finding employment appropriate to their skills back home (as evidenced by hundreds if not thousands of Israelis with Ph.Ds who have been unable to find work in the academic world in Israel, which is collapsing under shrinking budgets).

Rather, the state should preserve and even strengthen the link with citizens living overseas. Successful efforts by other countries - in Europe, Asia, Latin America and Oceania - show that investment of financial resources in preservation of that link is likely to yield scientific, economic and diplomatic fruits of the first order. For this reason, France, for example, spends some 3.5 million euros a year supporting its citizens living abroad; Switzerland allots $1 million annually for support of Swiss civil organizations in other countries; and the Irish foreign ministry designated 15 million euros in 2007 to institutions operating in expatriate communities around the world.

Recruitment of the human capital of Israeli citizens living abroad does not require moving them here. All that's needed is a conceptual change, and adoption of a policy based on several simple principles. First, we have to understand that strengthening Israeli populations abroad is a national interest of the highest priority, and public and private funds must be invested to support and encourage community initiatives among them, be it programming or organizations. In Melbourne, London, New York, San Francisco and Los Angeles, there already exist local umbrella organizations for this purpose, and all that is required is for additional resources to be allocated to stabilize and augment them.

Second, considering that Israelis abroad have an interest in maintaining and passing on to the younger generation Israeli culture and the Hebrew language, it would be worthwhile trying to answer this need, in cooperation with local Jewish federations. Israeli schools and cultural centers abroad would not only help preserve the Jewish-Israeli identity of these citizens and their children, but could also serve as focal points for disseminating Israeli culture internationally.

Third, an international council should be created that represents Israelis abroad, and it should be seen as a strategic partner in advancing economic, political and cultural programs that will enhance their ties to Israel.

Fourth, special channels should be developed to allow Israelis abroad to become involved in social-welfare projects and other initiatives close to their hearts that are taking place in Israel. Finally, it's time to conduct a public discussion about the possibility of allowing Israelis living abroad the right to vote in elections back home.

Israel's desire to bring back its overseas sons and daughters is clear and understandable, but years of making attempts to do just that (some of them quite patronizing in nature) have not led to the desired increase in returnees. In order to contend with the central challenges facing it, the State of Israel requires the services of the best minds available to it. But they don't necessarily need to be here.

Israel Pupko and Nir Cohen are co-directors of the organization Mishelanu: For Israelis Abroad.