Credit: Snap! The Center for Social Photography
New York, NY., March 29, 2022 — Along with regional partners and affiliates and over 60 Negev-based businesses, Jewish National Fund-USA’s (JNF-USA) Lauder Employment Center proudly hosted Immigration and Absorption Minister Pnina Tamano-Shata for a conference addressing the relocation of new immigrants to Israel’s southern frontier.
The conference launched a new joint initiative between JNF-USA, the Lauder Employment Center, and Tamano-Shata. This new initiative, “Olim to the Negev,” plans on boosting immigration to Israel’s south by creating employment opportunities for incoming olim (immigrants to Israel). Already, the Lauder Center has found over 2,000 jobs in the Negev for immigrants who are looking to move into the area.
Credit: Snap! The Center for Social Photography
The Ministry of Immigration and Absorption estimates that ten thousand immigrants will come to Israel every month over the coming years. At the conference, Minister Temano-Sheta called on Negev employers to recruit olim: “I see representatives of dozens of companies here, and I tell you not to leave it to the government alone,” she said. “We need you, and only together will we be able to… strengthen the Negev by absorbing immigrants.”
Credit: Snap! The Center for Social Photography
JNF-USA Chief of Staff, Talia Tzour Avner said: “We have always set ourselves the goal of developing Israel's frontier: the Negev, the Arava, and the Galilee. To develop means having an open dialogue with the people, hearing what is needed, building strategic and tactical plans, and putting them into practice. We are building a relocation package that understands the immigrants’ need to have a place to live, a good education, quality of life that meets their standards, and employment.”
Credit: Snap! The Center for Social Photography
Avi Balshnikov, Chairman of the Lauder Employment Center and Ronald Lauder's representative in Israel, said: “If you have a job, you will stay in the Negev. You will choose a community and the city and people will live here. This is why we have not spared any efforts and have helped absorb as many immigrants as possible into the south.”
In addition to the Lauder Center and Ministry of Immigration and Absorption, JNF-USA is teaming up with Merhav Darom in the Manufacturers' Association, the Employment Service, the Be'er Sheva Municipality, and others in this game-changing initiative.
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Media Contact:
Stefan Oberman
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About Jewish National Fund-USA
JNF-USA is the leading philanthropic organization for Israel that supports critical environmental and nation-building activities in Israel’s north and south. Through its One Billion Dollar Roadmap for the Next Decade, JNF-USA is developing new communities in the Galilee and Negev, connecting the next generation to Israel, and creating infrastructure and programs that support ecology, individuals with special needs, and heritage site preservation.