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Immigration, Ethnicity and Ethnic Relations in Israel Larissa Remennick, Ph.D.

Immigration, Ethnicity and Ethnic Relations in Israel Larissa Remennick, Ph.D. Schusterman Visiting Professor of Israeli studies. Israel as Ultimate Immigrant Society. 95% are 1st, 2 nd or 3 rd generation immigrants 35% were born outside of Israel

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Immigration, Ethnicity and Ethnic Relations in Israel Larissa Remennick, Ph.D.

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  1. Immigration, Ethnicity and Ethnic Relations in Israel Larissa Remennick, Ph.D. Schusterman Visiting Professor of Israeli studies

  2. Israel as Ultimate Immigrant Society • 95% are 1st, 2nd or 3rd generation immigrants • 35% were born outside of Israel • Major ethnic groups: Palestinians (20%), Ashkenazi Jews (30%), Sephardic/Mizrahi Jews (30%), Mixed Jewish Ethics (15%); non-Jews from FSU (4%), Black Ethiopian Jews (1%) • Historic outline: late 19-early 20 century Aliyah waves, pre-state immigrants of the 1930-1940s; Mizrahi Aliyah of the 1950s; post-1967 and the Big Russian Aliyah of the 1990s

  3. Israel as Ethnic Democracy • The Law of Return (1950/1970) regulates immigration to Israel. 'Jew' for the purposes of Aliyah& citizenship is defined broadly similarly to the Nazi anti-Jewish laws of the 1930s • The gap between a civic and Halachic definitions of Jewishness as source of discrimination of non-Jews • Lack of separation between state and religion & religious monopoly in personal status laws

  4. Ethnic democracy (continued) • Lack of Constitution and system of Basic Laws • The Law of Return does not include Arabs • Minority rights – political representation, freedom of occupation, non-discrimination by sex, age, ethnicity or religion • The problem of occupied territories and status of Palestinians beyond the Green Line (including East Jerusalem) • Two State solution vs State of all Citizens

  5. Jewish Israel: The lines of social stratification • Ahkenasim, Spharadim & Mizrahim • Old-timers vs. recent immigrants • Social class and wealth • Center vs periphery • Political right-center-left-radical left • Skin color, accents, dress & behavior codes

  6. The pillars of Israeli identity • Nation-building project on-going • Militarism and 'security culture' • Hebrew mono-lingualism at the expense of diaspora languages • Zionism or Post-Zionism? • Familism and 'motherhood mandate' • Immigration & Absorption

  7. The Great Russian Aliyah of the 1990s • Driven by push factors – demise of the USSR • Other destination countries closing their doors • About 1,000 immigrants between 1989-2004, among them half just between 1990&1993 • High on human capital but low on Jewish identity • High % of mixed families and non-Jews • Multiple integration challenges

  8. Ethiopian Immigrants in Israel • Arriving in two organized airlifts: 1984 & 1991 • Many families split by Israel's migration decisions (Jews vs Falashim) • Hard sacrifices and difficult road to Aliyah • Low human capital and pre-modern society • Problems of integration & racism

  9. Emigration or Yerida? • About 750,000 Israelis live abroad more or less permanently (US, Canada,Europe, Australia) • Shuttle movement to study and work • Immigrants returning to origin countries: Russians 10% Americans 30% French 20% • Keeping two homes

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