Israel Wants Citizens Abroad Back Home*

By IAN DEITCH,
Associated Press Writer AP - Monday, December 10

JERUSALEM - Israel is trying to persuade hundreds of thousands of its
citizens living overseas to return home in a project to coincide with
the state's 60th anniversary next year, the Immigrant Absorption
Ministry said Sunday.

The project, dubbed "Coming Home," will try to lure Israelis living
abroad to come back with tax breaks, employment and small business loans.

About 650,000 Israelis live abroad, 450,000 of them in North America,
the ministry said. The ministry began contacting them last month with
direct phone calls, an Internet site and a "hot line" phone connection.

"What surprised us most is the amount of positive feedback we received
from countries where the standard of living is very high," said Erez
Halfon, director of the Immigrant Absorption Ministry. "We received 285
calls from Israelis living in Switzerland, and of them, 15 families have
committed to coming home."

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert expressed support for the project at a
Cabinet meeting Sunday.

"Every Israeli, even if they live abroad, is Israeli at heart and knows
that their home is here. I call on all Israelis to return home," Olmert
said.

The project aims to bring 10,000 expatriates back to Israel in the first
year and double that number over the next few years. Between 18,000 and
21,000 Israelis emigrate each year, Halfon told reporters.

The estimated cost of the campaign is $36 million a year, an amount the
ministry believes will be paid back by the returning Israelis themselves.

"Within half a year of their being reintroduced into society as
consumers, the government will get all their money back," Halfon said.

Halfon said the project aims to remove the social stigma faced by those
who leave Israel, so they will have a softer landing upon their return.

Traditionally, Israelis who left the Jewish state were widely looked
down on by Israeli society and viewed as letting the country down or
selling out. Linguistically, immigration to Israel is called "aliya,"
the Hebrew word for ascent, while emigrating is dubbed "yerida," or
descent.