Left the country, but not Israel: The challenge that begins precisely with the second generation
The debate surrounding the wave of emigration from Israel focuses mainly on numbers, but hundreds of thousands of Israelis are already living overseas. The truly great challenge begins with their children: how to preserve the connection to Israel, to Judaism, and to the community before it fades away?
Recent data indicating that the number of Israelis who have left the country in the last three years is significantly higher than in previous years has reignited the public debate surrounding emigration and ways to curb it. Although this is an important and necessary discussion, it seems to overlook our responsibility toward the hundreds of thousands of Israelis who are already living outside of Israel.
The public discourse, which tends to treat emigrants as if they are already lost to the Jewish people and Israeli society, starts from a false premise. Not everyone who chooses to live abroad does so out of alienation from the state or Zionism. Globalization, professional opportunities, studies, family circumstances, and economic considerations are some of the reasons for emigration. Many of those who leave continue to see Israel as their home.
Therefore, alongside efforts to reduce the scale of departure, we must ask how to maintain the connection with those who have already left and ensure that their children and grandchildren continue to see themselves as part of the Jewish people and the Israeli story. The great challenge is not the first generation of emigrants, which, according to data, maintains its connection to Israel through language, news, and culture, as well as its Jewish identity by adopting customs.
The challenge lies within the second and third generations, who are undergoing the opposite process. Not only are many of them disconnected from Jewish tradition, but they also feel a need to integrate into non-Jewish society to blur the differences between themselves and their surroundings, especially in the face of rising antisemitism. As time passes, these young people feel more European or American than Israeli, and it is therefore not surprising that we often witness their integration into anti-Israel protest organizations.
Precisely here lies an opportunity. In a challenging period, when many Jewish communities worldwide are dwindling, Israelis in the diaspora can become a resource of human, cultural, and Zionist strength. However, reality shows that this potential is almost entirely unrealized.
Most Jewish communities in Europe do not view Israelis as a target audience for partnership, and conversely, most Israelis are not active in Jewish communities. The result is that both sides lose. Israelis are left without a framework to help preserve their identity, and Jewish communities miss out on a young, high-quality population with a deep connection to Israel, which could serve as an engine for community growth.
To change this reality, a new concept is needed. Alongside efforts to encourage Aliyah, a joint national strategy between the state and organizations operating in the diaspora must be built. This strategy should encourage the establishment of community frameworks tailored to Israelis, expand Hebrew and Jewish education for their children, cultivate local Israeli leadership, and create common spaces where Israelis and local Jews act together.
If we succeed, we will discover that even from a complex national challenge, a great opportunity can grow to strengthen the future of the entire Jewish people.
The author is the head of the "Straus-Amiel" Institute for training emissaries to the diaspora.
