Anyone who wanted to immigrate to Israel 30 or 40 years ago just had to show up at the Interior Ministry office with their paperwork, identify themselves as a Jew, and within a few weeks, a smiling clerk would hand them their identity card, granting citizenship.
But according to Dr. Haim Ben Yakov, director-general of the Euro-Asian Jewish Congress, it wasn’t always that way. He says that in 1897 when Eliezer Ben-Yehuda – best known for reviving the Hebrew language – arrived at the port of Jaffa, his reception was less than stellar.
It wasn’t until he made his way to the Russian consulate that he was offered some needed assistance. “Aliyah still contributes to the state,” Ben Yakov makes the comparison to today, saying that much hasn’t changed.
Sadly, when hearing the stories of so many immigrants and the shabby treatment they have received from clerks, who act as if they are doing them a favor by processing their applications, it is a regrettable first impression that newcomers are all too often subjected to.
It’s not a wonder since, as Ben Yakov explains, “new immigrants are frequently, and falsely, accused of being a burden on the state, somehow dragging it down.”
What these clerks apparently don’t factor into their appointments with prospective immigrants is that people who leave their familiar native countries feel the most vulnerable and at the mercy of those who have been tasked with granting them entrance into the country, which they have decided to call home.
It is for that reason, alone, that the process should be uncomplicated, quick, and welcoming.
Leaving one’s relatives, friends, job, and comfort zone for a completely new cultural experience, starting with a foreign language and unfamiliar lifestyle, is already enough of a daunting challenge for most people.
But when your assigned bureaucrat barely looks at you and endlessly finds fault with your documents, no matter how comprehensive and authentic they are, the message being sent is that “we’re not all that keen to receive you, but if we do, you’re pretty much on your own.”
While it may be understandable that these clerks are expected to make sure that those who are seeking citizenship are eligible to do so, why aren’t they doing so in an affirming way that, at least, gives the impression that they are delighted the effort has been made to undertake what will, undoubtedly, be uncomfortable for the first few years?
Reestablishing oneself, in the best of circumstances, such as moving to a different state, is already not without its difficulties. Until you find your way around a new city, where to shop, and all the rest that accompanies the acclimation process, it’s always a pleasure to experience a friendly face or helpful word from others who are not strangers to the area.
What's unique about Israel?
In the case of moving to Israel, though, there’s almost nothing else comparable. For many, it’s almost like landing on Mars, where everything is foreign and strange. Luckily, most newcomers can remember a very positive encounter with neighbors or shopkeepers who had a greater capacity and respect for the decision they made to live in Israel.
THESE ARE usually the people whose recommendations are so appreciated and met with much gratitude.
In fact, Israelis are known for giving others the shirt off their back, and that is why so many are not hesitant to invite immigrants for a Friday night meal or offer to take them shopping.
It is this kind of hospitable generosity that can ameliorate the bad taste left in the mouths of these immigrants by the often indifferent, nasty, or short-tempered clerks who made them feel as if they might have been better off not coming.
In all candor, given the precarious antisemitic atmosphere, which is becoming more prevalent throughout much of the world, it is quite predictable that there will be a sharp rise of those seeking to emigrate to Israel over the next two to five years.
With that kind of prognostication, shouldn’t someone from our government take it upon themselves to make the necessary changes as to how Interior Ministry workers relate to those soon to arrive at our shores?
Rather than meeting their prospective applicants with suspicion and wariness, shouldn’t they be trained and encouraged to sound approving, accepting, and welcoming?
After all, these are the same individuals who will contribute to our society, economy, and numbers, strengthening and loyally upholding the Jewish cultural experience that attracted them and for which they came!
They will all pay taxes, some will serve in the military, and others will become a new generation of entrepreneurs, professionals, and those who will be added to the workforce, filling needed positions for which they are uniquely qualified.
In time, they will master the language and become a vital part of the Israeli landscape.
But it starts with their first contact at the Interior Ministry, an agency that is apathetic and less than caring to these adventuresome souls who desperately need the encouragement and affirmation of everyone here – especially the clerks who have the power to make or break their first encounter with those in authority in the Jewish homeland.
Dr. Ben Yakov enumerated the many contributions that have been made by immigrants, everything from economic transformation – especially in the area of hi-tech – to the arts, as he credits the many talented individuals who were responsible for establishing Tel Aviv’s Gesher Theatre, a place that, to this day, remains a thriving hub for culture and entertainment.
Of course, it’s true that so many immigrants have greatly enhanced this nation, turning it into a mecca that draws so many.
I end this article with the unthinkable possibility of how terrible it would have been had Eliezer Ben-Yehuda not persevered because he ultimately changed the country to one that embraced its authentic, original language, which is still spoken today.
This should be internalized by the workers of the Interior Ministry, as they ask themselves what genius or extraordinary gift will be lost by an arrogant, dismissive attitude that is not in keeping with our intended destiny as a light to the nations – the very same who are now arriving at our doors.
Isn’t it time to welcome them the way we would embrace a long-lost friend who has finally come home?
The writer is a former Jerusalem elementary and middle school principal. She is also the author of Mistake-Proof Parenting, available on Amazon, based on the time-tested wisdom found in the Book of Proverbs.