Is the Agency’s focus primarily on Jews living in the Diaspora?
Not only for Diaspora Jews. We need to strengthen Jewish identity everywhere. People here sometimes underestimate how important it is for Israel. The JA is going to be much more involved strengthening Jewish identity in the state of Israel. Jews of Israel sometimes feel themselves more as Israelis than Jews. They are losing their historical or cultural connection with their Jewish roots. So what are some of the ways the agency will work to strengthen Jewish identity? The Jewish Agency is a main channel of communication between the Israeli government and Jewish communities around the world. So when Jews from Israel meet other Jewish communities abroad, and spend some quality time inside [those communities], or have mutual projects with them, it helps to strengthen their Jewish identity. As American Jewry discovered, it’s important to strengthen forms of informal Jewish education, especially for people who don’t get a formal Jewish education—whether it is through summer camps or differen
