Madam Speaker, Dalia Itzik,
Minister of Immigrant Absorption, Mr. Ya’akov Edri,
Committee Chairman, Michael Noodleman,
Previous Committee Chairpersons, starting with the first, Ms. Geula Cohen, and the former Minister responsible for various matters, Natan Sharansky,
Chairman of the Directorate of the Jewish Agency, Ze’ev Bielsky,
Distinguished Guests,

Thirty years have passed since the establishment of the Absorption Committee in the Knesset, as it was then known, and this is an historic landmark for Aliyah in the State of Israel.  More, it is important in the history of the Knesset – it is important as a landmark for Jewish immigration to Israel.

The State of Israel need not define itself as an immigrant country.  In our generation, we have experienced one of the greatest miracles which ever happened to the Jewish people – and that is the miracle of immigration which, since its first day, never ceased to flow into the State of Israel.  It comes in waves.  Some waves changed the patterns of life in the State of Israel all at once; in the early years of the State – at the end of the ‘40’s and beginning of the ‘50’s – and of course, the immigration from the Soviet Union which began over 30 years ago and reached its dramatic peak at the beginning of the ‘90’s.

The future of the State of Israel is Aliyah.  The future of the State of Israel is in absorbing immigrants, not just immigration itself, but rather in our ability to absorb it and create for the immigrants the feeling of a real home in a reasonable period of time.

I believe that in one thing we are experts– perhaps even international experts – and that is our ability to torment ourselves with our failures.  However, if we also consider the topic of immigration from the former Soviet Union as an example of immigrant absorption, then I can cautiously declare – when I look today, I remember those days… I was a Government minister, Minister of Health, and I remember the immense wave which washed over us and the tremendous difficulty we had in those days to provide an answer to every problem created, and the distress it caused.  However, when I look today and I think how many years have passed since then – 15, 16, 17 years – I see the significant absorption of the Jews who arrived in the State of Israel.

I do not ignore the difficulties which existed then; I still do not ignore the difficulties which exist today; I do not ignore the distresses and the failures.  However, ladies and gentlemen, I do say that I do not know of one other country which would do what the State of Israel did, and I am not familiar with any people who have the tremendous emotional energy which this people has, to come and integrate and become such a dominant part of life in this country as those Jews who came during the great wave of Aliyah from the former Soviet Union have in the life of this country.

There is no doubt that the Absorption Committee, or the Committee for Immigrant Absorption and the Diaspora of the Knesset, is one of the most effective tools in our ability to put this issue on the public agenda, as well as to assist the Israeli public, public mechanisms and government mechanisms to provide the appropriate answer to those problems which must be faced.  And the Committee, under your leadership Michael, continues this grand tradition which began during Geula Cohen’s time.  Perhaps the most exciting and dramatic thing is that the Committee was started 30 years ago, under the stewardship of someone who was one of the great fighters for immigration, the women who broke down the Russian wall to Jewish Aliyah, and is today headed by Prof. Michael Noodleman.  One of those same people Geula fought for so that he and those like him could come and be a part of our fabric of life here in Israel.  And he is already a senior Member, part of the leadership of the State of Israel, and heads the Committee, which has made the important decision to better assist in absorbing immigrants and easing the hardships which they must face.

I can only say that, on behalf of the State of Israel, we are proud of our immigrant absorption, and we are very glad of the contribution of the Committee which today celebrates 30 years of existence.  I thank all those who, over the years and each in his time, contributed and added his part to dealing with the problems and challenges involved in Aliyah to Israel.

I wish my good friend, Ya’akov Edri, the Minister for Immigrant Absorption, success in absorbing many more new immigrants who have yet to come.

Thank you.