RELATED:Danon: Make Nov. 29 ‘National Zionism Day’After Danon received the committee chairmanship early because Wilf was on maternity leave, he thought it would be embarrassing to give it up for five months.So Danon will continue to chair the committee and Wilf will head a new subcommittee on Diaspora relations for the rest of the tenure of the current Knesset.The mission of the subcommittee, which will meet for the first time after Hanukka, will be to explore the relationship between Israel and the Jewish people.Wilf’s associates said that for some 60 years, the Israel- Diaspora relationship was based on Israel being a small, needy state and Jews abroad contributing money but not being directly involved. They said the advent of globalization made that paradigm anachronistic.“When Israel’s economy is doing so well, it’s no longer the case that Israel is needy,” Wilf said. “It’s time to reexamine the contract between Israel and the Jewish people, modernize it, and make it more effective in a way that reconnects world Jewry to Israel.”Wilf wants to draw “a new contract between Israel and the Jewish people” in which Israel will give up the attitude that Jews abroad must either “make aliya and become a good Jew,” or “give money and feel guilty about not living in Israel.”“The new contract is that rather than saying Israel must be the home of all Jewish people, we will say that Israel should be the first or second home of all Jews,” she said.“That doesn’t mean buying expensive real estate in Jerusalem but a lifelong relationship with the country.”She wants the committee to become a safe space for discussion about Israel, in which world Jewry can criticize Israel but “remain inside the tent.” The committee will use the Internet for video discussions with Jews abroad.
Danon to remain as head of Knesset Absorption c’tee
Wilf to chair panel on Diaspora relations in compromise over the chairmanship of the Knesset Immigration, Absorption and Diaspora Affairs Committee.
RELATED:Danon: Make Nov. 29 ‘National Zionism Day’After Danon received the committee chairmanship early because Wilf was on maternity leave, he thought it would be embarrassing to give it up for five months.So Danon will continue to chair the committee and Wilf will head a new subcommittee on Diaspora relations for the rest of the tenure of the current Knesset.The mission of the subcommittee, which will meet for the first time after Hanukka, will be to explore the relationship between Israel and the Jewish people.Wilf’s associates said that for some 60 years, the Israel- Diaspora relationship was based on Israel being a small, needy state and Jews abroad contributing money but not being directly involved. They said the advent of globalization made that paradigm anachronistic.“When Israel’s economy is doing so well, it’s no longer the case that Israel is needy,” Wilf said. “It’s time to reexamine the contract between Israel and the Jewish people, modernize it, and make it more effective in a way that reconnects world Jewry to Israel.”Wilf wants to draw “a new contract between Israel and the Jewish people” in which Israel will give up the attitude that Jews abroad must either “make aliya and become a good Jew,” or “give money and feel guilty about not living in Israel.”“The new contract is that rather than saying Israel must be the home of all Jewish people, we will say that Israel should be the first or second home of all Jews,” she said.“That doesn’t mean buying expensive real estate in Jerusalem but a lifelong relationship with the country.”She wants the committee to become a safe space for discussion about Israel, in which world Jewry can criticize Israel but “remain inside the tent.” The committee will use the Internet for video discussions with Jews abroad.