Our Aliyah and Klitah Committee agendas duly reflect latest developments. Earlier this month, we launched a national media campaign designed to broaden the scope of the "At Home – Together" program, which brings together olim families, lone olim soldiers and students with veteran Israeli families. In the short run, the campaign will serve to "brand" and expand the program. However, in the long run, the national campaign will raise Israeli society’s awareness regarding the genuine and important contribution the Israeli public is making to the successful absorption of olim. Furthermore, this will surely cultivate fertile ground for the expansion of our efforts to mobilize Israeli society.

We are anticipating a summer filled with aliyah. Literally thousands of olim from North America, France and the FSU will be arriving during the summer months, in time to settle down before the start of the academic year. We are continuing to enjoy our cooperative relationship with Nefesh B’Nefesh and now with the AMI organization in France. With the cooperation of these and other grassroots organizations, we can look ahead with much optimism.

We will be hearing again from IBM, regarding the highlights of the market research that we conducted in North America, and the market strategy that has been developed in turn. The results were extremely interesting, and our next challenge is to begin implementing the strategy in form of an annual work plan. We thank our dedicated staff, headed by Mike Rosenberg, which has driven this effort since the inception of the Aliyah and Klitah Taskforce.

In consultation with our Subcommittee Co-Chairs, we decided to convene an Aliyah and Klitah Committee meeting in lieu of our subcommittees. We have proposed some suggestions regarding the restructuring of our subcommittees, and the establishment of BOG Lay Coordinating Committees to provide a forum for more comprehensive inter-departmental coordination. We will keep you all apprised of any changes which we hope will be ultimately be finalized and implemented. Again, we welcome you all to Jerusalem and to the Board of Governors meetings.

Sincerely,

Arieh Azoulay              Daniel Liwerant
Co-Chair                      Co-Chair

TOP

Foreword

June 2005

Exactly two years ago, at the June 2003 Board of Governor's, the first meeting of the Aliyah and Klitah Taskforce was convened. The reason behind the formation of the Taskforce was to address the sharp decline in aliyah from the Former Soviet Union. As you all know, the most outstanding outcome of that Taskforce was to make aliyah-of-choice a top Jewish Agency priority, and that in order to meet this new challenge, it was decided to develop an innovative approach to aliyah and klitah based on marketing research and strategy.

Today, we are concluding what has been an exceptional process: working with IBM Business Consulting Services, we have succeeded in bringing together two seemingly divergent worlds – the ideological world of aliyah with the methodologies and analyses of business marketing. We have concluded our market research in the FSU, France and North America, and as a result our strategies and work plans will be based on something entirely new –on understanding what the "customer" or the potential oleh is interested in. If we are to succeed in creating a "turnaound" in aliyah, then we need to know what our potential olim want out of life; what is important to them; what do they want for their children's future; what do they need or want from their community.

We have learned that different groups are seeking very different things. But more importantly, we have learned that Israel has a lot to offer to them. We have learned that in order to be effective, we can no longer market aliyah and Israel in one singular or generic message – we need to market different facets of Israel to different groups or segments of society.

In North America, we commissioned the Harris Company to survey 1,690 Jews, asking "what they want out of life". The same individuals were asked if they would consider moving to Israel or living in Israel on a temporary basis. A resounding one-third of the participants responded that they are at least "somewhat interested" and 10 percent of them said that they are "extremely or very interested". This does not mean that one-third of North American Jewry is going to move to Israel tomorrow. This does mean that there is a meaningful market in North America – and that there is a real chance to significantly increase aliyah from North America.

Given the importance of aliyah, it is certainly clear that we should be cultivating this market and that it is indeed a wise investment of resources and energy for us to do so!

We have a lot of hard work ahead of us. We have developed initial implementation plans for France and the FSU, and we are in the midst of developing one for North America. We will need to change our modus operandi if we want to effectively implement these plans, and I can only hope that we will receive your support in doing so.

While developing these new plans, our regular work in the field has, of course, been continuing. We are pleased to report that we anticipate an up-ward swing in aliyah this year (although far from being what it should be – not including an increase in the aliyah rate of the Falash Mura). The most trusted indicator is the significant increase in the opening of aliyah files in countries such as the United States, Canada, France, and Argentina. We are also hoping for a slight increase in aliyah from the FSU and Eastern Europe.

In accordance with the Government of Israel’s decision, we are also gearing up for the doubling of aliyah from Ethiopia. We, at the Jewish Agency, have completed our preparations for taking over the compounds in Gondar and Addis Ababa, and are actively involved with the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption in preparing for initial absorption needs in Israel. However, the implementation of the Government decision is still pending final approval from the Ethiopian Government and the conclusion of final preparations and budgetary allocations by the Government of Israel.

The one downside, which I feel compelled to mention, regards the continuous trend of budget reductions, which we have been forced to deal with at almost every BOG meeting over the past few years. It is frustrating and demoralizing for us to have to once again cut our budget just as we are planning for the implementation of our marketing strategy, in which we have invested so dearly. I can only hope that with your support, we will be able to overcome this obstacle and be able to allocate the resources necessary for our success.

I welcome all of you to the June 2005 Board of Governor’s meetings, and as always, thank you for your support and active participation.

Sincerely,

Mike Rosenberg
Director General

TOP

Aliyah & Klitah Update (PowerPoint 348KB)