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17 Shevat 5762 - January 30, 2002 | Mordecai Plaut, director Published Weekly
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NEWS
Interior Ministry Says 70 percent of Immigrants from Former Soviet Union are not Jewish!
by Betzalel Kahn

According to a representative survey conducted by the Interior Ministry, a full 70 percent of immigrants who arrived from the former Soviet Union last year under the Law of Return are not Jewish, compared to a figure of 50 percent in other recent years. The figures refer to the declarations of the immigrants themselves and do not take into account that some of those who represent themselves as Jewish may not be so according to halachah.

The results of the survey were published in that Israeli national daily Yediot Achronot, which noted that Carmiel, for instance, has absorbed 208 Jewish immigrants since the beginning of the year, compared to 431 non-Jews. These figures do not include residents of the former Soviet Union who are currently in the process of applying for Israeli citizenship after having married Jews or non-Jews who are eligible for aliya. All of these spouses are obviously not Jewish.

The Interior Ministry says that Carmiel reflects the general population of the entire country since the city is considered one of the major centers for the absorption of immigrants.

Interior Minister Eli Yishai is seeking to amend the Law of Return in order to significantly reduce the number of non- Jews who are eligible to immigrate to Israel and to receive various financial benefits. Yishai has asked other government ministers to assist him in the amendment procedure.

 

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