By Joel Magalnick, Editor, JTNews
Several Israelis rolled into town last week to spread messages of goodwill and economic cooperation. Whether here as volunteers or as a part of their job, they carried the same message: we’re getting through the day, but we need your support.
Inna Krotov, Jonathan Aikhenbaum and Ruth Berkovitch traveled together on a 12-day mission across the United States, from Pennsylvania to Alabama to Seattle. Krotov, originally from Kazakhstan, and Aikhenbaum, who hails from Paris, are olim, or new immigrants, that have been successful in their integration into Israeli society.
Berkovitch, a native Israeli, runs several absorption centers in the state’s central region.
She mentioned her largest center, which has assimilated 1,300 new immigrants from Ethiopia. Many immigrants arrived at the age of 17 without their families or money, and after a year of hard work, including six months of a Hebrew-language ulpan, they become a valuable part of the country’s society.
“We have hundreds of success stories,” Berkovitch said. “After one year, two years, three years, 10 years, they are all Israeli like me. Only the accent is different.”
Aikhenbaum works at a Jewish agency that helps French people with integration into Israeli society. He says his success comes from making the choice of moving to Israel.
“We choose the challenge of making aliyah, and being integrated into this country, and we succeeded. That’s our success,” he said. “Now I’m married, have a child, I have work.”
Krotov, who has lived in Israel for 10 years, has been studying to become a social worker. Her success, she said, came from discovering her Judaism in a country — the former Soviet Union — that tried to suppress her heritage, and ultimately led to her move to Israel.
Krotov lives in Tel Aviv and most of her family has since joined her from Kazakhstan. Life has gotten more difficult in the past couple years, Krotov said, but like everyone else they try to get through it.
“You have to continue your real life,” she said. “Now we have security in every public place, so you can feel safe enough to go outside. Life will continue, but it’s very difficult.”
“Every day we are trying to make our life normal,” said Berkovitch. “We can’t make our life difficult in this situation.”
Their mission to the United States has shown them there is support outside of their immediate environs.
“All the communities are supporting Israel very strongly,” Aikhenbaum said. Their visits have included community centers and high schools, both Jewish and secular.
“They like Israel, they like the Jewish people, and they want to know how to help them,” he added. Berkovitch agreed.
“People at the age of 16, 17, are very interested and have many questions on what happens in our country,” she said.
Berkovitch said she is looking forward to the upcoming elections. She said she hopes a new administration will make more headway toward a peaceful solution with the Palestinian people.
Yossi Amrani was Seattle’s other visitor. As Consul General for the Northwest Region, he came to town for similar reasons, though in a more official capacity. Amrani’s interest is in creating business connections between Israel and the Northwest, in addition to meeting with government officials and academics.
He regularly deals with government officials in the state, including representatives Dunn, McDermott and Insley. Amrani says relations with Rep. Jim McDermott, who has openly criticized Israel in its treatment of Palestinians, have been “friendly, constructive and important.”
“He was very generous with his time and with his point of view regarding events in Iraq and U.S. policies towards it,” Amrani said.
He said that while Israel’s economy is not in a shambles, there are challenges that must be met to improve the country’s situation. The cost of more than two years of war has taken its toll. Even with unemployment at 11 percent and a growing national deficit, he said, “Nevertheless, the economy survives.”
Among recent successes is the upcoming release of the Banyas chip that was developed in Haifa by microchip maker Intel. He also pointed out long-lasting cooperation with Northwest corporations such as Microsoft, Boeing and Airborne Express.
In speaking to groups at various lunches and schools in the area and around the country, both delegations of Israelis say they see great support for their country and look forward to seeing the fruits of their missions.
Amrani, who is based in San Francisco, visits Seattle three or four times a year to visit with people and further Israel’s causes.
“My goal is to meet as many people as I can,” he said. “My goal is to widen and expand the circle of acquaintances and to make sure that we develop and network of support and friendship for Israel in the Jewish community and beyond the Jewish community.”
He said that the election will decide this year’s agenda.
“The expectation is that this is going to be a crucial year, a year of important developments in strengthening the security and stability in the region, and advancing peace negotiations. We have been at war for the past 28 months,” Amrani continued. “we hope this will be a year of an end to that, and we hope this year will bring us closer to negotiations.”
Amrani said that creating two states, with an emphasis on building a sustainable Palestinian economy is the key to true peace.
“Israel cannot compromise to terrorism, Israel cannot cave into terrorism,” Amrani said.
“Israel needs to help the Palestinian society that feels they have more to lose by resorting to vio