Israelis in US desperate to return home
Consulates in North America report of flux of Israelis asking for help
getting back to Jewish state after losing money in financial crisis;
Absorption, Foreign ministries mulling forming possible airfare aid fund
Itamar Eichner YNET Published: 11.24.08, 09:27 / Israel News
www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3627586,00.html

Many Israelis living in the United States have approached the Israeli
consulates in North America recently, asking for their help in getting back
to Israel.

According to the report, dozens of Israelis who have lost their money in the
financial crisis sweeping through the US have been pleading with the local
Israeli bureaus to help them pay for a plane ticket back to the Jewish
state.

Eli Yifrach, the Israeli consul general to Florida, said that the Miami
office gets several calls to that effect every day: "We've had cases of
Israelis telling us they were being evicted from their homes, after
faltering on their mortgage payments."

Another official with a different consulate said that his offices has had
Israelis call in and ask for financial help to buy food. "In one case, I
gave an Israeli $100 for food, and I know many contact Chabad centers and
synagogues for food," he said.

Sharon Glassman, of the Immigrant Absorption Ministry, told Yedioth Ahronoth
that the ministry was "aware of several humanitarian cases of Israelis who
reported that they could not afford airfare.

"Absorption Ministry Director-General Erez Halfon has instructed us to look
into ways in which we can cooperate with the Foreign Ministry and form an
aid fund which will help those in need to purchase tickets back to Israel."