Diaspora Affairs Minister Omer Yankelevich announced plans to introduce a bill that would require government ministries to connect with diaspora Jewish communities on issues that affect Jews worldwide. The bill aims to strengthen ties between the Jewish diaspora and the Israeli government and to strengthen Israel’s position as the center of the Jewish world.

EAJC President Dr. Mikhail Mirilashvili and EAJC Director General Dr. Haim Ben Yakov sent a letter to the Diaspora Affairs Minister, in which they expressed their unconditional support for the bill.

In their letter, the EAJC leaders stressed that one of the key issues is the relations between Israel and the Diaspora, and there is a great need for their settlement. “For many years, the leaders of the Jewish communities have been looking for ways to communicate on issues that affect them with Israeli leaders, but they have failed over and over again. This is even more true for the leaders of the Euro-Asian communities.

The complex processes that are taking place there are often not reflected in Israel, and this makes Jewish communities leaders feel deep dissatisfaction and creates significant tensions”, – noted Dr. Mirilashvili and Dr. Ben Yaakov in their address to Yankelevich and added that EAJC will be ready to provide the minister with any assistance in promoting her bill.

“EAJC has been consistently advocating the development of contacts between Diaspora Jews and the Jewish state, especially in the context of making various decisions. The connection of the Israeli leadership with the Jewish communities during the decision-making process on the core issues regarding the future of the Jewish people is the direct implementation of Israel’s function as the state of the Jewish people and the center of the Jewish world. We already have a unique experience in such work and are ready to continue to be a connecting link in this process”, – said EAJC Director General Dr. Haim Ben Yakov.