Why Can’t a Jew Make Aliyah?
As appeared in JNS . A recent Jerusalem Post article ('Don’t ask, don’t tell’ aliyah ) by Cookie Schwaeber-Issan, Nov. 18, 2025) makes the uncomfortably true statement that “ there is an unacceptable and antagonistic attitude present in Israel’s Interior Ministry [and the office of the Chief Rabbinate] who are discriminating against Jews who are not connected to the faith or even their community.” While the writer astutely points out that this is occurring “at a time when we are witnessing the worst wave of global antisemitism since the Holocaust, even affecting both totally assimilated, non-observant Jews”, unfortunately, this “unacceptable and antagonistic attitude” has been going on for decades. According to the Law of Return, established in 1950, eligibility to become a citizen of Israel is as follows: “Every Jew has the right to come to this country as an oleh (immigrant).” In 1970, the law was amended to include people with at least one Jewish parent o...