Almogi Stresses Need for Aliya

Yosef Almogi, chairman of the World Zionist Organization and acting chairman of the Jewish Agency, declared that “Aliya is the most important, most serious imperative in our lives.” Almogi, the guest of honor at the Association of Americans and Canadians for Aliya seventh annual convention last weekend at the Lido Hotel on Long Island, stressed that “not geography will secure Israel, but demography.” He emphasized that increased aliya from North America is Israel’s top priority.

The three-day AACA convention, which was attended by more than 150 delegates representing branches from all over the United States and Canada as well as over 100 other people interested in living in Israel, offered a program which included talks and workshops on ways and means of settling in Israel, and discussions on reaching American Jews who wish to settle in Israel.

Yechiel Leket, director of the Israel Aliya Center, stated that by concentrating on a few major areas, aliya work will be more effective. “We want to deepen our work, improve the services of our office,” Leket said, adding that the four major areas of priority currently are the processing of aliya candidates more efficiently; improving the system of pilot tours; expanding the relationship with students; and further encouraging people to consider group aliya.

Leket also said that the problems of American olim in Israel can be better solved if more Americans settle in Israel, since a large and strong American aliya in Israel would be able to help absorb the new arriving immigrants.

Mrs. Pamela Erdfarb, of the Bronx, who was elected the AACA’s new president, said one of the most important goals for the organization is to have a constant flow of ideas between the membership and the leaders, in addition to having AACA become a real presence in the American Jewish community.

SUCCESSFUL ALIYA REQUIRES COMMITMENT: KAHANE

In a speech to the group Saturday night, Rabbi Meir Kahane, the leader of the Jewish Defense League, stressed that a strong Jewish commitment was the major component of successful aliya. “Without an understanding of Judaism and Jewishness,” he emphasized, “there will be no aliya.” Tracing the trend of aliya throughout Jewish history, Kahane pointed out that the majority of Jews in the galut (exile) never wanted to leave it, no matter how difficult life there was, to come and live in Israel.

According to him, the only way aliya will become meaningful and life in Israel a reality is when Jews realize two things–an awareness and acceptance of their own Jewishness and the fact that anti-Semitism always lies under the surface, waiting for the proper conditions to erupt.

Kahane bluntly told the audience that aliya was extremely difficult and despite the vast advances Israel has made, life there remains very hard. However, he emphasized, no matter how difficult life was in Israel, Jews must realize that life outside of Israel was impossible for them. He said that each Jew must realize that problems do exist in Israel but that it is each Jew’s responsibility to come to live in Israel and solve those problems.

The conference also considered practical aspects of settling in Israel, including employment, housing and education; held a series of workshops to discuss group aliya projects dealing with kibbutzim, moshavim, cities and development towns; and heard discussions by shlichim. Rabbi Herschel Schacter, chairman of the American Zionist Federation, aliya committee, and Jacques Torczyner, member of the World Zionist Organization-American Section Executive, also addressed the convention.