Israeli Official Urges U.S. Jews to Help Israel Solve Its Severe Economic Crisis

Ambassador Moshe Yeagar, the newly appointed Consul General of Israel in New York, has called on American Jewry to increase its effort on behalf of Israel and help the Jewish State solve its severe economic crisis.

In a press conference, his first since he arrived here last week, Yeagar said that “the deep commitment of American Jews to the State of Israel is well known” and that their efforts through fund raising and the purchase of Israel Bonds is much appreciated.

“One should hope that in the coming year, the Jewish community in America will do much more of the same,” the new envoy told reporters at the Israel Consulate. He said that American Jews can accelerate their effort to strengthen Israel’s economy through increased tourism to Israel and the buying of Israeli-made products.

Yeagar said that recent surveys showed that less than 20 percent of American Jews visited Israel once. He said that Jewish organizations in America should organize tours to Israel in “meaningful numbers.”

Asked how does he see his role as Israel’s top representative here, he replied: “I think my role is to do anything to advance Israel’s interests.”

A VETERAN DIPLOMAT

Yeagar, 55, succeeded Ambassador Naphtali Lavie, who recently returned to Jerusalem. A veteran diplomat, Yeagar served in various posts around the world. In the United States, he had served as Consul General in Philadelphia and as a Consul in Los Angeles. He also served in the Israeli Embassies in Bucharest and Rangoon.

His most recent position, before coming to New York, was in the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem where for the past five years he served as the Assistant Director General, in charge of the Department for Information and Communications.

Yeager holds a Ph.D. degree in Islamic studies from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He is married to Dr. Dvora Yeagar, an historian. They have three children.