Around 10% of Israel’s population are dual citizens. Why not promote the dual citizenship option among Diaspora Jews? I think such a campaign could be particularly effective among college students since they see the hostility towards Israel on their campuses. Dual citizenship would give them a stronger sense of their identity as Jews and serve as a source of pride and a means of fighting back when they hear the bile coming from Israel’s naysayers.
The path to citizenship should be easy. Appoint rabbis in each community to validate the Jewish identity of prospective Israeli citizens. Once that identity is confirmed, Israeli citizenship should be granted at once.
Here’s another thought: Why not make any Jew in the world, upon request, an honorary citizen of Israel? You would fill out a form online and receive a certificate granting you honorary citizenship. It would not allow voting or any other rights, but such a status would invariably lead to a stronger attachment to Israel and motivation to come for a visit.
Those serving as Israeli ambassadors and consuls throughout the world ought to make aliyah of Jews in the region they serve a top priority. Those serving in these positions would make aliyah presentations on a regular basis, ideally once a week in a community center or synagogue (between mincha and ma’ariv in orthodox shuls, for example) to make a pitch for aliyah. Even if there was not a wave of aliyah as a result of these meetings, the fact that Israel’s representatives were urging Diaspora Jews to consider aliyah would demonstrate Israel’s love for them.
Come to think of it, shouldn’t encouraging aliyah be the top priority of Israel’s representatives abroad? And shouldn’t passionate love for Israel be the primary criterion for selecting such representatives? When you love someone or something, you cannot hold yourself back from sharing the object of your love with the whole world. And such love rubs off. Thus, those with the greatest love for Israel would be the best candidates to represent Israel abroad.