A New Direction for the Jewish Agency?

by Daniel E. Levenson

April 24, 2010

I find it interesting that Natan Sharansky, the current chair of the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI), is shifting the main focus of the organization from that of encouraging Jews from around the world to make aliyah, to that of strengthening Jewish identity and education. When I lived in Israel last year I did some volunteer work for the Jewish Agency, and specifically for the education department so I tend to keep an eye out for stories relating to education and JAFI.

Personally, I had a positive experience in my affiliation with the Jewish Agency, and given what I saw in terms of the work of the education department, I have no doubt that if the agency does indeed turn its attention to educational efforts, that it will be well-served by the staff and volunteers who are already working hard to connect Diaspora Jews to the State of Israel through educational programming. There are already a variety of educational initiatives, partnerships and resources available through the Jewish Agency, which they will hopefully be able to use to help achieve this new institutional goal. Programs sponsored by the agency range from volunteer opportunities working for Magen David Adom Ambulance service to high school academic programs and an Israeli Guest Artists and Speakers Bureau.

The MASA program, which provides support to young adults taking part in long-term educational programs in Israel, is one initiative with which I am personally familiar. Although I myself did not receive financial assistance from the program while studying in Israel last year, I was able to take part in a leadership development program run by MASA, and got to see firsthand how this program benefits participants from abroad in educational programs in Israel, not only in terms of providing financial assistance, but by connecting Diaspora Jews with each other as well as Israelis, in Israel, and emphasizing our common heritage and connection to the land of Israel, without ignoring the differences between them. In addition to programs that happen in Israel, the Education Department also sends Shlichim out to Jewish communities in North America to help these communities learn more about Israel and make connections between Israelis and Diaspora Jews.

While Mr. Sharansky should be commended for boldly taking the Jewish Agency in a direction that he seems to believe will be of great benefit to Jews both inside and outside of Israel, I think it is also important that the Jewish Agency continues to work on aliyah efforts, because there is no doubt in my mind that Israel does indeed need more Jews from abroad to immigrate to the country. The Jewish Agency is also perhaps uniquely qualified to move large numbers of Jews out of harm’s way should the need arise. Although in the West many Jews feel completely secure living in pluralistic democracies such as the United States and Great Britain, there are Jewish populations in other places which are much less stable and may one day be in need of emergency assistance from the Jewish Agency, as untold thousands have in the past.

Copyright Daniel E. Levenson 2010