Galit Schir
Israel was founded and constructed as a "home-land" for all Jews, an "in-gathering of exiles". Negating the Diaspora was therefore a fundamental value for Israel's founding fathers, immigration to Israel was, and still is, perceived as a positive deed, a duty, an ascent (Aliya), while emigrating is conceived as a betrayal and a descent (Yerida). Accordingly, Israelis who chose the option of "exit", and emigrated, were perceived as not loyal. The ideology of "return to the mythical promised land" was so prominent that for many years the word used to relate to life abroad was not "Diaspora" (Tfutza) but "Exile", (Gola).
Keeping in mind these founding values, especially the attitude towards Diaspora and Israeli emigration, it is puzzling to witness Israel 'reaching out' towards its citizens abroad. This raises a question - if Israel is no longer rejecting its citizens abroad, what is it doing with them?
It has already been claimed that we are living in a transnational time, that nation states are changing perceiving emigration ("exit") not as disloyalty, that more and more sending states develop policies towards their expatriates abroad, and that this development is "normal". But does that imply that Israel is taking the same "normal" course other countries are taking? Are we to understand that over a century of Zionist fundamental constructivism which formed the ideological existence of the state is changing like in other countries? Can a country like Israel allow itself to accept this most existential conceptual change, namely that "exit" does not equal betrayal? Because if Israel is taking the same course other countries are taking, if this country which is in many ways an extraordinary case of nation state and classic case of "home-state Diaspora" relations is following the path taken by other states, than this "normal" development is perhaps a most "abnormal" development, and its consequences deserve even more attention.
We will start by showing the changing attitude of Israel towards Israeli emigration ("exit") and Israeli emigrants (from 'disloyal traitors' to 'Israeli citizens abroad'). We will then describe Israel's Diaspora engagement policies namely, how is Israel involved in the (Jewish) Israeli Diaspora in North America. We will follow this descriptive stage by asking: How can we explain or understand the country's (declared) change of attitude and policies towards its citizens abroad? Why did it do so, and why now? And, perhaps even - where do we go from here or how does that influence the relationship between Israel and the larger "Jewish people"?
Education
2008-
Doctoral student, Bielefeld Graduate School in History and Sociology (BGHS), Bielefeld University, Germany.
2003-2005
- MSc in "Comparative Studies in Migration, Ethnic Relations and Multiculturalism" (MERM), Utrecht University, the Netherlands; thesis title "The nature and causes of the ambivalent evaluation of Jews in the Russian Federation".
1998-2002
- B.A. in Sociology, School of Sociology and Anthropology, Tel-Aviv University, Israel.
- Study in the international student program for Jewish identity and leadership, American Jewish University (BCI), California, United States.
- Venice International University, Italy. Student in the framework of external studies of Tel-Aviv University.
1992-1995
"Rothberg" High School, Ramat Hasharon, Israel, Emphasis Biology.
Military Service - Israel Defence Force (IDF)
1995-1998
- Commanding officer, Education corps, rank of Lieutenant at release.
Professional and Academic Experience
- 2008 - today - Coordinator of the youth Department of the Union for Progressive Jews in Germany (Union Progressiver Juden in Deutschland)
- 2005-2007 Researcher in the Behavioural Science Research Institute of the Israeli Military (MAMDA) researching minority groups in the Israeli military, society - military relations, gender issues and various other projects.
- 2005 - Research assistant in a research project on the "Birth Right" programs in Israel, conducted by Dr. Ted Sasson, the 'Cohen Institute', Brandeis University, United States.
- 2003-2005 -Basketball coach of the women team in the "Utrecht Student Basketball Club" (S.B.U), Utrecht, the Netherlands.
- 2002-2003 Hillel House, Tel Aviv University. Coordinator of the Overseas Students Program and intercultural activities. Founder of the "Panim El Panim" (face to face) program of video conferences between Tel-Aviv and UCLA University students.
- 2001 - Research assistant to guest professor Dr. Stefan Kuehl in Sociology, Venice International University.
- 1999-2001 Coordinator of the Education Committee of the project "Partnership Tel-Aviv Los Angeles" in the framework of the project "Partnership 2000", of the Jewish Agency. Coordination between the education departments of the Municipality of Tel-Aviv-Yaffo and the Jewish Federation of Los Angeles, Schools, and parallel educational establishments.
- 1997-1998 - Commanding officer in the training program for youth leaders in the IDF "Mahva Alon" training base.
- 1995-1997 - Professional training in the areas of immigration, absorption of young Russian and Ethiopian "olim" (new immigrants to Israel), cooperating with welfare and youth services, and the Jewish Agency.
Presentations and Publications
- Research presentation in the Israeli Military Behavioural Science professional conference, May, 2005.
- Research presentation in the Israeli Sociological Association annual conference, February, 2006.
- Research publication: "Motives for Military Service of Ethnic Minorities in Israel - The Case of Bedouin, Christian and Muslim Arabs", 'Bein Hazirot'; The Behavioural Science Journal of the Israeli Defence force', May, 2007.
Awards
- 1995 - Outstanding trainee IDF commanders training course.
- 2005 - Outstanding research officer, the Behavioural Science Research Institute of the Israeli Military (MAMDA)
Languages
Hebrew: mother tongue
English: fluent, on mother tongue level
German: good.
