Nativ (Liaison Bureau)
Lishkat Hakesher | |
Formation | 1952-1953 |
---|---|
Founder | Moshe Sharett |
leader | Naomi Ben-Ami |
Nativ (
, immigration to Israel.History
Founded as part of the
Nativ began its foreign operations out of Israeli embassies, yet this ended after the Six-Day War, when Russia and fellow Soviet countries severed diplomatic ties with Israel. This led Nativ to focus more of its efforts on Western countries, where it lobbied governments to promote greater emigration freedom in the USSR with the phrase "Let My People Go". While its Soviet operations were stymied, the Refusenik movement began, bringing greater international attention to the Soviet emigration issue. Nativ assisted the movement by materially supporting the refuseniks and fostering refusenik organizations.[citation needed]
In the mid 1970s international pressure forced the Soviet Union to allow greater emigration, and the number of Soviet Jews leaving for Israel increased dramatically. The
When
Organization
Head
As of 2005, the only requirements to lead Lishkat Hakesher were the ability to speak Russian and experience in managing bureaucracies. Headquartered in Tel Aviv, the director reports directly to the prime minister. All Nativ representatives in foreign countries report to the director, and are not responsible to the local diplomats. Representatives are supposed to inform the local ambassador of their activities, though failure to do this has caused tension in the past.[9]
The prime minister has the power to directly appoint a new head, although in the last succession Prime Minister
List of leaders
- Shaul Avigur, 1953–1970
- Nehemiah Levanon, 1970–1980
- Yehuda Lapidot, 1980–1986
- David Bar-Tov, 1986–1992
- Yaakov Kedmi, 1992–1999
- Zvi Magen, 1999–2006
- Naomi Ben-Ami, 2006–2015
- Alex Kushnir, 2016–2017
- Neta Briskin-Peleg, 2017–present
Branches
- Information
- Activity
- Content
Notes
- ^ Levin 64.
- ^ "Russia claims Israeli spy ring smashed", BBC World Service.
- ^ Levin 64–65.
- ^ a b Melman, Yossi and Barkat, Amiram. "From Russia with Jews", Haaretz, November 9, 2006. Retrieved November 23, 2006.
- ^ Lieberman seeks to encourage aliyah of Russian Jews from Canada
- ^ "Israel considers new campaign among Jews", UPI, February 5, 2007. Retrieved February 15, 2007.
- ^ Connolly, Kate (2007-11-28). "Israeli migration agents target German Jews". Guardian. Retrieved 2007-11-28.
- ^ Rettig, Haviv (2008-01-17). "Nativ detractors 'breathe a sigh of relief'". Haaretz. Retrieved 2008-01-17.
- ^ Levin 175.
- ^ "PM Olmert Instructs Cab.-Secy. Maimon to Choose New Chairman for Nativ" from the Prime Minister's Office.
References
- Melman, Yossi. Fight over next Nativ head turns ugly" at the Wayback Machine (archived June 20, 2010), Haaretz. Google cache version
- Melman, Yossi and Barkat, Amiram. From Russia with Jews", Haaretz, published Thursday, November 9, 2006
- Freedman, Robert O. Soviet Jewry in the 1980s. Duke University Press, 1989. ISBN 0-8223-0906-8p. 77
- ISBN 0-7146-4597-4
- "Liaison Bureau, which played critical role in freeing Soviet Jews, celebrates 50 years"
- Sa'ar, Relly. "Immigrants to Israel caught in limbo waiting for approval", Haaretz. Accessed June 20, 2006.
- (in Russian) The Israeli Special Service "Nativ"
External links
- Lishkat Hakesher at The World
- (in Russian) "Government Bureau on communications with the Jewish communities"
- (in Russian) "Does Israel need Nativ"
- Educational website: Let My People Go – a free educational resource created by Israeli Prime Minister Office - Nativ, to keep the story of Soviet Jewry alive and to inspire the next generation.