US anger sees Israel ditch homecoming ad campaign

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has cancelled a government advertising campaign aimed at convincing Israelis in the US to return to the Jewish state, after it was deemed offensive by leaders of the American-Jewish community.

The adverts, drawn up by Israel’s immigrant absorption ministry, began running in September on billboards in regions of the US with large Israeli expatriate populations, such as New York and Los Angeles, and screened as commercials on television channels viewed by Israeli expats.

But American-Jewish leaders raised objections against the commercials, which broadly suggested that by being in America, a person loses their Jewish identity, and that American Jews do not understand Israel.

One advert shows an Israeli couple celebrating Hanukkah – the Jewish feast of lights, which falls in December – with the traditional candelabra, and talking via Skype to their granddaughter in the US. When they ask the child to name the holiday they are marking, she responds: “Christmas.”

Billboards took up the same theme – “Before Hanuka turns into Christmas, the time has come to come back to Israel,” they said.

The advert that caused the most anger shows a young Israeli woman sitting near a candle she has lit for Israeli memorial day and watching the ceremonies via her computer. Her partner, assumed to be an American Jew, thinks the candle and music are for a romantic evening. The announcer says: “They will always remain Israelis. But their partners will not always understand what this means.”

The ads struck a nerve, given the American-Jewish annoyance over the common Israeli attitude that the most meaningful way of being Jewish is to live in Israel.

Jeffrey Goldberg, a prominent American-Jewish columnist for the Atlantic magazine, wrote: “I don’t think I have ever seen a demonstration of Israeli contempt for American Jews as obvious as these ads.”

“I understand the impulse behind them – Israel wants as many of its citizens as possible to live in Israel. But the way it is expressed, in wholly negative terms, is somewhat appalling.

“These government ads also suggest it is impossible for Jews to remain Jewish in America.”

“The message is, ‘Dear American Jews, thank you for lobbying for American defence aid … but please stay away from our sons and daughters’.”

Kathy Manning, chairwoman of the Jewish Federations of North America, said the message that American Jews do not understand Israel was “outrageous and insulting”.

Elad Sivan, spokesman for the immigrant absorption ministry, said that before the campaign was launched “deep research” was conducted about what would encourage expatriate Israelis to return to Israel.

He said: “If someone was hurt we apologise … this campaign wasn’t directed at all at American Jews, only at Israelis.”

Anxious to assure there would be no fall-out in the ties between Israel and the six million strong American-Jewish community that accords it vital financial and political support, Israel’s ambassador to the US, Michael Oren, yesterday voiced “regret” over any offence the adverts may have caused.

Mr Netanyahu’s spokesman, Mark Regev, said yesterday that the prime minister had “suspended” the programme.

Mr Regev said: “The prime minister acted in response to concerns raised by American Jewish leaders.

“The minute he heard there were problems with it from their point of view, he instructed immediately that it be suspended.”