Naftali Bennett
Naftali BennettFlash 90

Minister Naftali Bennett, head of the Bayit Yehudi party, stressed the importance of creating jobs for olim (new immigrants). He spoke to Arutz Sheva at a huge aliyah event which took place last week in Jerusalem.

“I think the olim are a wonderful injection in Israel,” he said. “We’re working very hard to create jobs for olim, in the high tech sector using their language and their resources, and we’re very excited for them.”

Bennett, who in addition to serving as Economy Minister is also the Minister of Diaspora Affairs, said that it was equally as important to provide support to Jews who choose to remain in the Diaspora.

“Aliyah is always important, but we have to stop looking at the Diaspora as a big wallet for Israel and only as a source for aliyah,” he said. “We have to realize that there are communities around the world that are there to stay and it’s our responsibility to help them and to strengthen them, and primarily fight assimilation.”

“Since the Babylonian Exile we’ve always had Jews in the Diaspora and that’s okay,” said Bennett. “Yes, I want everyone to make aliyah and I also realize that some of them are not going to. I’m responsible for them.”