Photos of new mass US aliyah flight to Israel

Jerusalem Post ^ | 7/10/2003

[yonif]

An unidentified father, part of a group of Immigrants organized by the Jewish Agency, wheels his luggage and his son before they boarded a chartered plane to Israel at JFK Airport in New York. The organization is trying to encourage immigration to Israel. Photo: AP

Dori Gould, an educator from upstate New York says goodbye to her five cats and five dogs before they all board a plane to Israel at JFK Airport in New York. An estimated 1,000 North Americans were emigrating to Israel under a program sponsored by the Nefesh B'Nefesh organization to increase immigration to Israel. Photo: AP

North Americans at morning prayers on their immigration flight to Israel. Photo: David Karp

Singing songs of Israel on mass immigration flight from New York. Photo: David Karp

Young American boy on mass immigration flight to Israel. Photo: David Karp

New inmigrants from USA and Canada arrive at Ben Gurion airport in the framework of Nefesh Benefesh program Wednesday July 9, 2003. Photo: Jerozolimski

New inmigrants from USA and Canada arrive at Ben Gurion airport in the framework of Nefesh Benefesh program. Photo: Jerozolimski

New inmigrants from USA and Canada arrive at Ben Gurion airport in the framework of Nefesh Benefesh program. Photo: Jerozolimski

Guy Mayer from Queens shows his new citizens' papers while holding his daughter Raheli, 4, after arriving at Ben -Gurion airport as part of a mass immigration of more than 300 North Americans. Photo: Jerozolimski

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon greets US citizens Guy and Vera Meyer and their children as they disembark from the first of two Israeli commercial airplanes arriving at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv bringing close to 1,000 immigrating to Israel. Photo: AP

Israeli residents greet friends and family members as they disembark from the first of two Israeli commercial charter airplanes arriving at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv bringing close to 1,000 people from the United States immigrating to Israel. Photo: AP

[yonif]

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[TheBattman]

A point some may not realize - these people immigrating to Isreal will be able to maintain dual citizenship. Unlike if the "average Joe" decides he wants to move to say ..... Italy, or any other country in the world - Jews who move to Israel and take Israeli citizenship are allowed to keep their US citizenship too.

As much as I support Israel, I really don't understand why our government allows this dual citizenship.

Of course I also understand that Mexicans who cross our borders - legal or illegally - and finally obtain US citizenship, keep their Mexican citizenship as well.

[TheDon]

This is a great idea! The more Demorats we ship to Israel, the better!

[Hyacinth Bucket]

"This is a great idea! The more Demorats we ship to Israel, the better!"

I don't have hard numbers about this but my impression is that the American-Jewish liberals you are referring to above would never go and live in Israel. Most of them think that the creation of the nation of Israel was a mistake to begin with. The land and God's promise to Abraham is not foremost in their minds and they think that fighting for the nation Israel just causes unwanted attention and persecution towards all jews everywhere.

Although, I do concede to your point that far too many Jews in this country vote democrat during elections. But I've heard that some of them are slowly realizing that their most ardent supporters are the people who they've mistakenly considered their enemies, the conservative, white, male, protestant!

[American in Israel]

They also face duty in the Army, three years is required...

[Hyacinth Bucket]

"As much as I support Israel, I really don't understand why our government allows this dual citizenship."

I, too, cannot understand this phenomenon of dual citizenship. I don't mean to pick on just Israeli-Americans. This is perfectly legal and becoming more and more possible with so many countries (Mexico, Canada, Philippines, and many more). The recent news of Peter Jennings finally becoming a U.S. citizen (dual citizen with Canada) brought back my concerns about this issue.

It seems to me that dual citizenship is like having one foot here and one foot somewhere else. The process of naturalization for becoming an american citizen requires you to renounce all allegiance to your former country and pledge allegiance to only the U.S.A and uphold the constitution, etc. I know this because I went through the process myself. It does not make sense to have allegiance to two countries. What makes more sense is to retain one's right to have a green card or legal residency status here in the U.S. but go on and change your citizenship to whatever country you wish to be a citizen of. This is sort of the compromise I came up with because the cat is out of the bag. I, personally, would like to have a much stricter policy.

[Hyacinth Bucket]

Thanks for posting the story and pictures.
God bless these people who are moving to Israel, the Israelis, and everyone residing in Israel. I sincerely pray for all the terrorism to stop so that they may all live in peace.

[Alouette]

Americans also have dual Canadian, French, UK, Irish, German, citizenship. How come that doesn't bother you?

There are more dual US/Canadian citizens than any other "dualism."

[cmsgop]

Good to see you again dude! Take Care,

[TheBattman]

How come that doesn't bother you?

Because I didn't know.....just call me ignorant. I guess my public school education led me to believe that a person is a citizen of only one country at a time.

Quite frankly, I don't think anyone should be allowed to hold "dual citizenship". You are either an "American" or not..... That just seems to much like being married to more than one woman.

[Thinkin' Gal]

Homeward bound
I wish I was
Homeward bound
Home, where my thought’s escaping
Home, where my music’s playing
Home, where my love lies waiting
Silently for me

[SJackson]

It's my understanding we "allow it" based on several Supreme Court decisions in the early-mid 50's, it's a longstanding common law practice.

Not in these cases, but dual citizenship, which exists with 50-55 nations, is usually the resuly of birth, and is governed by the laws of the "other" country, not America. Personally, I'd like to see

It shouldn't be confused with loyalty. There are other standards which deal with that (involved with security clearances), and voluntarily becoming a citizen (dual) of another nation would be a serious issue.

Using you as an example, while you may have renounced your allegiance to your former country, depending on where that is they may not recognize it, and your could well be a "dual citizen". Of course that's probably only an issue if you decided to visit your former home.

[konijn]

Bring em on!!!

[Hyacinth Bucket]

Two kinds:

1. Citizen of country X becomes U.S. citizen. They are what we call naturalized citizens. Most legal immigrants belong to this category. They hold U.S. passports, vote, live, work and own property in the U.S.

Most are contented here and are law abiding but a growing number have been discovering the benefits of dual citizenship with their former country. One of the biggest benefits is to be able to own property in their former country. One disturbing trend is to somehow get qualified to receive permanent disability checks or some other sort of government subsidy and have the checks forwarded to the foreign address. Since no one could check on them there, they could own businesses and property and still fraudulently receive the checks. I say the government should start cracking down on these people and revoke their U.S. citizenships immediately. This will stop the shenanigans, but of course, action won't be taken.

2. Natural born U.S. citizen becomes citizen of country X. Probably not many of these to begin with but most retain their U.S. citizenship. I don't know what to make of this especially in the case of Israel. Most, like the people pictured above, choosing would probably be an especially difficult decision because they love both countries.

Personally, it just seems wrong to be citizens of more than one country at the same time when there are other ways like my suggestion on my previous post. I do agree with you, however, that there are other ways to show your loyalty. There are plenty of natural born, exclusively U.S. citizens who betray their country in the most treasonous ways. And heck, the world is going towards a borderless system anyway so in effect I'm just wasting my time worrying about protecting the U.S. of A. and what it means to be a citizen of it.

Sorry for not staying on the actual topic of the post (happens all the time here on F.R.) :)

[SJackson]

Personally, I don’t like the dual citizenship concept, but it’s not going away, so I think the attention should be on the loyalty factor, when that’s an issue. Usually it isn’t, dual citizenship is frequently a canard.

I’m no expert, but but I think that unless #1 discloses his foreign holdings on his 1040 (please, tell me your example files taxes), he’s a criminal. To me, the more important issue are the many loyal #1’s, who are still considered citizens of their former homelands, and must possess a passport from their birth country to visit family and friends. Makes them dual citizens. Personally, I don’t think maintaining that second passport means a thing under those circumstances. For those who do it for a convenience (places you don’t want to show an American passport), different story.

#2, I agree with you completely, I wish you had to make a choice, but the US has similar standards to the countries mentioned in #1. A 60s draft dodger would be welcomed in Canada (barf). He could become a Canadian citizen. On reentering the US as a “Canadian” to visit his family, he’d be an American citizen, and would be arrested. Works for me.

It’s a complicated topic, but one which doesn’t touch on loyalty in it’s practical application, which is really what we should be concerned about.

IMO, the most interesting way dual citizenship touches on Israel that I’m aware of pertains to children born in Israel or born here to Israeli parents. Regardless of their loyalty to the US, unless they take advantage of a narrow window prior to their 18th birthday, when they visit they not only need an Israeli passport, but have their obligation to the IDF to fulfill as well. I’ve been told that’s an issue with a number of other countries as well.

[Porterville]

I'd move there if it wasn't so damn hot and was in the desert and had about a billion neighbors trying to blow me up. I think I'll just stay here.