Trends in aliyah to Israel, 2004-2005, Alex KATZ,

Alex KATZ, Jafi leader in Ukraine, interview (2005)

Vladimir Matveyev: Could you please point out the main trends in aliyah?

Alex Katz: The number of emigrants to Israel is constantly decreased.

V.M.: Can you explain the reason of such a decrease?

Alex Katz: I would refer the reason to the situation both in Israel and in Ukraine.
In fact people refuse to repatriate to Israel from Ukraine not only because of the security situation in Israel. I spoke with many people here and they told me that during the soviet regime they didn't have very secure life. So even if there are terrorist attacks in the Israel, this is not the main reason for Jews not to emigrate to Israel.
One of the main reasons of not coming to Israel is that the economic situation in Ukraine has become better. the economic situation has improved especially in large cities – Kiev, Dnepropetrovsk, Kharkov, Odessa. Today there are an increased business opportunities in Ukraine. At the same time Jews have received an opportunity to develop their community life – go to Jewish kindergartners, schools, synagogues and so on.
Second reason is that there is little Jews (about 215 000) left in the country compared to the beginning of 1990's. It is very easy to understand because more than 350 000 Jews made aliyah to Israel and the rest emigrated to other countries.
And the last reason of the decreased aliyah is emigration to Germany. in 1998-2003 about 48 000 emigrated to Germany from Ukraine and 40 000 Jews – from Moldova.

V.M.: Do you know the motivation of those who is emigrated?

Alex Katz: The majority of the Jewish people are now not going for economic reason. If at the beginning of 1990's people who was going to Israel wanted to improve their life now the motivation has changed and become ideological. people are coming for the future, for their children. They want to give them traditional Jewish education in Israel. And they are also concerned with anti-Semitism in this part of the world.

V.M.: There are people who are staying in Ukraine and have no intention to repatriate. What is their motivation then?

Alex Katz: As I told you there are now a lot of business opportunities here in Ukraine. Now it is similar to the situation in the USA in the early years of their development. there are a lot of opportunities and people decided to take their chance. And some of them are very successful.
On the other hand there is a big opportunity to develop the Jewish life. now Jewish children go to the Jewish kindergartens, Jewish schools, synagogues etc. There are many Jewish organizations, so Jews in Ukraine now can combine the economic interests and Jewish life.

V.M.: What can you tell about those people who return from Israel to Ukraine?

Alex Kaz: The majority of them is coming back for business while their families continue to lie in Israel. There are also some Jewish families who came back with their children and you can see them at the Jewish schools of the project "Havtzebah".

V.M.: Can you tell about jafi activities these days. How did the jafi mission change the last few years after a big aliyah was over?

Alex Katz: Because of the changing pace of aliyah our agenda now is to cooperate with all Jewish communities and to give them means – summer and winter camps, ulpans, we also provide the project Havtzebah. A lot of activities and projects for the Jewish community of Ukraine. If Jews decided to stay with the Jewish community this is a statement which we have to understand it and to respect it. But we have another aim or goal: if now they are not going to Israel they will go in the future. At least we do everything that they will stay n Jewish life: synagogue, Jewish education and a part of Israel events like from Yom ha-Atzmaut, Chanukah, the Day of Jerusalem, the Day of Independence etc.
In Kiev we renovated Galitzky synagogue with Rabbi Yakov Dov Bleich and put there Academy or university Midrashat Tzionnit. The Midrasha was set up to help Jewish people to learn more about Jewish tradition, realize and life long bond of every Jew with the Land of Israel and to learn about the doctrine of religious Zionism. professors and active members of the Midrasha work together with all other departments of the Jewish Agency and participate in the different activities of the Jewish community in Kiev as well as the Jewish communities around the Ukraine and FSU. Today there are more than 50 students who study at the Midrasha Tzionit. That is a historic revolution of jafi and we are the part of the synagogue.
We shall never forget that a result of our activity is that Jews should come to Israel. But today this is not so directly and quickly as it was before.
Even if Jews decided to wait or even not to make aliyah we support them. We don't want to lost them. They are Jewish and this is our task. We have operate deeper and wider to give them all things they will decide to make aliyah.
Sochnut is not pushing them for aliyah but if they decided to emigrate from Ukraine we try to do everything that the channel or the country will be Israel. When somebody decided to emigrate we'll do everything to make aliyah to Israel but not emigration to Germany.