A question presented at the Absorption Committee about the relevancy of the Jewish Agency at present led to a demonstration of support for the organization's activities.
The questioner, Moshe Gafni, asked why after seventy years the Agency was necessary, especially as there is already an absorption ministry, adding that "if the Jewish Agency is merely meant to prevent budgets from haredim and Arabs- say so explicitly."
Jewish Agency representatives rebuffed the criticism and said that "hundreds of thousands of Jews are connecting to their Judaism, assimilation is prevented, Jewish identity is built, Jews study and visit Israel. Encouraging immigration to Israel can only be done by a non-governmental body."
MKs from all parties in the Knesset lauded the Jewish Agency's work and said that there was no way the government could take over such activities abroad and in Israel for immigrants and diaspora Jews.