PRESS RELEASE

May 18, 2004

Jewish Agency Chairman, Sallai Meridor: "German Government enticing Jews to
emigrate to Germany under refugee status."

The Chairman of the Jewish Agency, Sallai Meridor, presented an overview to
the Knesset's Immigration and Absorption Committee on current issues
relating to immigration and absorption, Israel and the Jewish World.

The Chairman of the Jewish Agency attacked the policy of the German
Government. "The German Government is enticing Jews to emigrate from the
Former Soviet Union (FSU) to Germany under refugee status, despite the fact
that the State of Israel already exists for 56 years. The Government of
Israel must take serious steps to counter Germany. This situation
drastically affects immigration to Israel. Last year about 19,000 Jews
immigrated to Germany from the FSU whereas only 12,000 came to Israel."

Concerning the issue of conversion the Jewish Agency Chairman said "In
Israel there are approximately 300,000 new immigrants who are not Jewish
according to the halacha (Jewish law). Of these immigrants only 25,000 opted
to register as Christians and the other 275,000 regard themselves as Jews.
The problem is that the Chief Rabbinate is making it difficult for those
wanting to convert to Judaism. At present there are over 4,000 individuals
who have completed the conversion process at the Beit Morasha Institute for
Jewish Studies, but only 1,000 have been formally converted. This is an
unacceptable situation, which directly affects all 300,000 new immigrants.
This is our last chance. The Rabbis have to remember that they hold the key
for entry to the Jewish People and not only to the Jewish Religion, and they
must act in a responsible manner."

The Jewish Agency Chairman attacked the activities of private and
semi-private associations (some supported by the Government), which conduct
campaigns to fundraise abroad to alleviate poverty and hunger and portray
Israel as a beggar.

"We are seeing more and more such activities throughout the world which
portray Israel as a poor country begging for charity instead of a strong and
attractive country. This causes enormous damage to Israel. Which Jewish
youngster will want to immigrate to a poor and impoverished country?

There are also poor Jews in the USA and England. Do they appeal for external
help or to Israel for financial assistance? The only place where this is
justified is in communities that collapsed such as the FSU and Argentina. It
is wrong to base a worldwide campaign on the backs of the poor."

The Jewish Agency Chairman also called on the government to solve the
problem of professional accreditation faced by new immigrants. "There has to
be a change in perception so that immigrants with professions for which they
studied and were trained in recognized and respected institutions will not
have to go through circles of bureaucracy in Israel in order to receive a
license to practice in their fields of expertise. This will influence
thousands of potential immigrants."

The Jewish Agency Chairman reported to the committee on the struggle taking
place in the US District Court in Brooklyn New York presided over by Judge
Edward Korman in order to make sure that Israel will receive monies from the
Swiss Banks Claims Settlement. Hundreds of millions of dollars are at stake.
"Until now the needs of Holocaust survivors in Israel have been ignored and
the monies have gone only to the FSU. We are fighting that monies go to
Holocaust survivors in Israel and also towards solving their acute housing
needs as well as funds for Holocaust education, documentation and
commemoration.

The Jewish Agency for Israel
Website: www.jafi.org.il/press