Aliyah minister visits schools, cultural institutions in first US visit

Aliyah and Integration Minister Ofir Sofer (Religious Zionist Party) met on Monday with Eric Goldstein, the CEO of the New York Jewish Federation, during his tour of US and Canadian Jewish communities.

During their meeting, the two discussed the concerns of some US Jews regarding the judicial reform legislation, the Law of Return and other issues.

“I told him [Goldstein] that as someone who has led a discourse of unity in the past year, I believe in the connection and dialogue between all the Jews around the world,” said Sofer.

Sofer added that the “contribution of the Jewish Federation is significant for the Jews of the world and the State of Israel in particular. I appreciate the important contribution of American Jews to the State of Israel.”

Sofer's tour of US, Canada Jewish communities 

Sofer opened the first day of his visit to the US – which was his first time in the country – with a prayer service at the grave of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, in Queens, followed by a tour of Chabad headquarters in Crown Heights, Brooklyn.

Later, Sofer met participants from the Orthodox Union’s NCSY youth movement and spoke to them about immigrating to Israel to enlist in the IDF, carry out national service or enroll in higher education institutions.

Sofer began the second day of his visit at Baruch College, where he spoke with Jewish students about their attitudes towards the State of Israel and encouraged them to make aliyah. He visited the offices of the Jewish Agency in New York where he met the head of the delegation, Neta Katz, from whom he received an overview of the agency’s activities in North America.

In addition, Sofer paid a visit to Yeshiva University, where he toured the different campuses and met with one of the heads of the yeshiva, Rabbi Meir Goldwicht, along with members of Nefesh B’Nefesh.

Sofer participated in a ceremony at the Ben Porat Yosef school in New Jersey during Holocaust Remembrance Day on Tuesday, where he said: “About eight decades after the Holocaust, we see an increase in antisemitism, on campuses, in the streets and in the public arena. We see terrorist attacks and hate crimes against Jews, in Israel and around the world. We must speak, educate and act against antisemitism everywhere, in all its forms. This is our duty, both to the survivors and to our children.”