Immigration, Ethnicity and
Ethnic Relations in Israel
Larissa Remennick, Ph.D.
Schusterman Visiting Professor
of Israeli studies
Israel as Ultimate Immigrant
Society
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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
Israel as Ethnic Democracy
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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
Ethnic democracy (continued)
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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)
Jewish Israel: The lines of social
stratification
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Ahkenasim, Spharadim & Mizrahim
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Old-timers vs. recent immigrants
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Social class and wealth
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Center vs periphery
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Political right-center-left-radical left
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Skin color, accents, dress & behavior codes
The pillars of Israeli identity
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Nation-building project on-going
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Militarism and 'security culture'
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Hebrew mono-lingualism at the expense of
diaspora languages
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Zionism or Post-Zionism?
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Familism and 'motherhood mandate'
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Immigration & Absorption
The Great Russian Aliyah of the 1990s
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Driven by push factors – demise of the USSR
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Other destination countries closing their doors
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About 1,000 immigrants between 1989-2004, among
them half just between 1990&1993
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High on human capital but low on Jewish identity
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High % of mixed families and non-Jews
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Multiple integration challenges
Ethiopian Immigrants in Israel
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Arriving in two organized airlifts: 1984 & 1991
Many families split by Israel's migration
decisions (Jews vs Falashim)
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Hard sacrifices and difficult road to Aliyah
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Low human capital and pre-modern society
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Problems of integration & racism
Emigration or Yerida?
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About 750,000 Israelis live abroad more or less
permanently (US, Canada,Europe, Australia)
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Shuttle movement to study and work
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Immigrants returning to origin countries:
Russians 10%
Americans 30%
French 20%
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Keeping two homes