Israeli President Katzav Worried About Hareidi Parties And Aliyah

Arutz 7 ^ | 13 March 2003

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Katzav Worried About Hareidi Parties And Aliyah

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President Moshe Katzav fears that the fact that the hareidi parties have no part in the government will mar the process of "Zionization" that they had been undergoing in the past decades. The President also expressed his view on the state of Aliyah [immigration to Israel], and said that potential immigrants must be presented with a "vision and challenge."

Katzav, visiting the Jewish Agency building in Jerusalem today, said that the hareidim had tried to integrate into Israeli life over the past 20 years and that the latest developments may cause them once again to revert to "closing off."

After hearing a review of the Jewish Agency's activities, the President said that current Aliyah policies have not achieved their goal of bringing most of the Jewish nation to Israel, and that new strategies should be tried. He said that the Jewish Agency should not encourage the Aliyah of people whose Jewishness is not certain, especially not from the former Soviet Union - though he said that the conversion process is too difficult, "even according to the Orthodox." He said that the strategies should not suffice with presenting economic benefits or sending emissaries around the world. "We should instead present the potential immigrants with a vision and a challenge that will make them want to come," he said.

Katzav then spoke, by video hookup, with several French Jews who will be making Aliyah next week.