A Helpful Gesture
Finance Minister and Yisroel Beytenu chief Avigdor Liberman proposes a way to help fleeing Ukrainians come to Israel. He proposes to allow them to enter Israel if they have at least one Jewish grandparent. After organizing an inter-ministerial meeting to discuss the proposal he denied that he aimed to “permanently change Israel’s Law of Return which currently guarantees citizenship to anyone with at least one Jewish grandparent or who has converted to Judaism.”
He explains his motive as treating them “on the basis of humanitarian and Jewish values.” He continues, “The Jewish people experienced no shortage of tragedies and misery in the Second World War, which was at a time when no country accepted Jewish refugees. This is the fourth generation, the offspring of Jews who have a clear link to Judaism and a direct connection to their families living in Israel.”
To the refugees escaping the ongoing Ukrainian conflict, this would provide welcome, helpful relief.
(Source: Judah Ari Gross, The Times of Israel)
