The new immigrants who arrived in Haifa against the background of the war • "Quality people for whom the system is not prepared"

(live here with aliyah reception) - Over 8,000 new immigrants arrived in Haifa during the last year. It is not possible to specify their exact number, since many of them are still defined as tourists, since the process of their absorption has not yet been completed. This is often a very slow and cumbersome process, which involves a long wait and continuous queues, when the system is not prepared to handle their affairs efficiently, certainly when it comes to such a large number of immigrants who arrived almost at once, and all of them need a solution.

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According to the data of the Ministry of Immigration and Absorption, 8,584 new immigrants were absorbed in 2022 in Haifa, another 2,500 from dual status (those who came as tourists and will become new immigrants after the documents are approved in Israel), and another 1000 returning residents. The vast majority of immigrants (8,152) are from the former Soviet Union (including Ukraine), 105 from Ethiopia, 35 from France, 9 from Great Britain, 73 from the USA and Canada, 121 from Latin America and 89 from various countries.

They fled without documents

"The process of changing tourist status to new immigrant status sometimes takes a long time and is also very individual. After all, many of the immigrants who came to Israel against the background of the war in Ukraine, had to flee quickly without being allowed to take documents with them. In such a situation, it is necessary to obtain original documents and it is very difficult," explains Tatiana John, chairman of the 'Israel Beitno' faction in Haifa.

Educated, cultured people who have something to contribute

Upon their arrival in Israel, the immigrants stayed in hotels in the center of the country, where representatives from various local authorities arrived and introduced them to their city. "Every holder of an aliyah file and a city mayor is interested in attracting new immigrants to his city, since aliyah has something to contribute to every city and in many diverse fields, all the more so when the aliyah of the last year includes a particularly high-quality concentration of people, the vast majority of whom are educated, artists, musicians, Hi-tech, young people and families, who have broad knowledge in many fields and speak many languages, these are people who from the beginning are unlikely to "sit on the neck" of the authority or the welfare office. These are working, hardworking, educated people whose absorption will strengthen any city and contribute to its prosperity."

Haifa is an attractive city for new immigrants

"Haifa is an attractive city for new immigrants, for many reasons," says John. "The mountain, the sea, more favorable prices compared to other cities, a comfortable climate, many friends and families who settled here before. A large part came here in the past as tourists and knew the city, so they chose to come and live in Haifa. Immigrants choose Haifa as their city of residence even without advertising or marketing which may be required in other cities.

The difficulties faced by the immigrants

"The first and foremost problem is bureaucracy," says John. "If the previous government still tried and came towards the immigrants in all these processes, unfortunately, the current government probably has a different order of priorities, and in the Absorption Ministry it seems that there is no priority for the absorption of immigrants from Ukraine, Russia and Belarus. There are also difficulties with assistance from the cities' projects, because they are burdened, and physically they do not have The ability to overcome the situation. People are waiting to receive the absorption basket from the project, to receive an escort, arrangement of documents, and the lines are long. There are also problems looking for apartments, because the prices have gone up and there are many "diggers" trying to ride the wave, unfortunately."

The language barrier

"There are language problems, after all, without language you can't progress and be a citizen in any way. The studios are crowded, lack classrooms, lack teachers. I made sure to recruit people who could contribute and teach voluntarily, but it turned out that there aren't enough studios and even for volunteering you need permits. Another problem with the studios is that they don't accept people Over the age of 60. It's amazing, says John, because these are people who haven't retired yet and they have to work."

Validity of the reception basket

"But the most serious problem is that the acceptance basket is valid for six months and is conditional on learning in the studio. So it turns out that sometimes you wait eight months just to study in the studio, and in the meantime the absorption basket is over. Many immigrants go to work in all kinds of jobs for a living, jobs where you can't even learn Hebrew, Because in the end they go to work as cleaners, or as caregivers for adults, and then let them take care of Russian speakers, so there is no chance of learning the language. The only profession that can be engaged in is high tech, because there you can speak English, but most of them remain without a language and this is a serious problem ".

Choose to live in Hadar and the surrounding area

"Most of the immigrants choose to live in Hadar, Kiryat Eliezer, Bat Galim and Neve Shanan, because of the more favorable prices and the accessibility to transportation and schools. A large part of those who came from Russia and Belarus do not need money, and they can choose to live in more prestigious places. But most of the young immigrants and families think about A book and a group of Russian-speaking students, and in these neighborhoods there are more Russian-speaking students who can help the new students acclimatize. I haven't heard of any complaints," says John. "What's more, it's easier for the children to acclimatize They've been getting along for a month."

about the social and voluntary work and activity

"We volunteer and donate as much as possible. There is the absorption wing and the absorption case, but alone they are not able to overcome the load. We provide humanitarian aid, because many arrived with nothing, hardly a small suitcase or a bag with a "pair of underwear", if at all. We hold classes And we teach spoken Hebrew, so that they can have practice. Some of the immigrants work and study in the studio, and some, as I mentioned, wait for their turn to learn. We help in finding a job, in writing resumes, in making appointments for the offices, because the immigrants do not know the systems to school, to health funds, etc. We also have lawyers who give free advice."

"Proud of our people"

"I feel such great pride in our people," says John excitedly. "I am proud of the Israelis who arrived many years ago and remember the difficulties they experienced and want to help in any way to make it easier for those who are arriving now. We are a welcoming people who always volunteer and help. For every 10 requests for help, there are 20 who want to help. You have to take into account that the new immigrants are humble people, and a lot Sometimes they are ashamed to ask for help," notes John.

"No budgets and no time"

"At the municipal level, the feeling is that the city council is probably trying to resemble the Knesset," she says. "And those who suffer are the residents. It makes me very sad that the immigrants are embraced and treated warmly on the street, and in the offices they are often given the feeling that they are not welcome here, that there is no time and budgets for them until they receive the message that it is better for them to return to the place they came from. It is especially painful in light of the fact that this is a country which was founded by immigrants and for immigrants."

"The biggest difficulty is that our family is divided"

Anton Tichinsky, his wife Tanya and their two children Mark and Diana, immigrated to Israel from Moscow in May 2022. The decision to immigrate to Israel was not spontaneous, for years they thought about immigrating, so with the outbreak of the war in February 2022, it was clear to both of them that this was the right decision and the right time.

It took them three months to organize, sell the properties, pack suitcases, buy tickets and fly. When they arrived in Israel, they lived in Netanya, with Tanya's sister, who helped them rent an apartment for the initial period, until they sorted out all the documents."

"We felt at home from the first moment"

"From the first moment we landed, we felt at home," says the Tichinsky couple. Even on the runway at the airport, the people we met on the streets, in cafes, everyone tried to help and advise, and we were treated very warmly. We really liked Netanya, but we had other plans - to move to Haifa, where A friend's apartment was waiting for us."

Fortunately for them, they went through the bureaucratic process quite quickly and moved to Haifa. A process that not everyone gets to finish quickly, if at all. But even though they were given a quick process and received identity cards, their children, the two-year-old boy and the three-month-old girl, did not receive Israeli identity cards and remained foreign citizens, or rather - in the status of tourists. They will be able to receive citizenship, as it turns out in the next three years."

"Our family is divided"

"This surprised us badly, and you can say that this is the most difficult thing we face in our ascension. Because this means that our family is divided. My wife and I are citizens of the State of Israel and our children, a three and a half year old and a one year old, who depend on us - are not citizens. They are foreigners in this country , as if they are not welcome here, that is what we feel. The children are not only our future, they are the future of the country in which they live. They are part of the future of the State of Israel and in the meantime they are not accepted here. But we continue on our way, building our lives in Israel and investing in the future Our new home. Israel is our home," they say.

Anton and Tanya, both businessmen. In Moscow they had a factory for the production of equipment and scenery for performances and concerts. They organized events, performances of international stars. But in Israel they want to engage in something new. They have many ideas that can be implemented. Some of them, it turned out, are not in demand in Israel, some are still in the development process.

"We really lack command of the Hebrew language, they share. "Even though most Israelis know English at a high level, they prefer to do business in their mother tongue, which is logical and correct. Obviously, this is our shortcoming, which we are trying to improve. We learn Hebrew, go to the studio in order to be absorbed into Israeli society and be a complete part of it."

"Our dream came true in Israel"

Anton: "In order to acclimate as quickly as possible and be useful, I started working in furniture production.
I am grateful to the social activists Tatiana John and Artyom Kharchenko, who helped me find a job and continue to assist and help us to be absorbed and feel at home here. We really like Haifa. It's a lovely city. The climate is much nicer and cooler than the southern Berbers. Haifa is beautiful, we like Mount Carmel very much. Unfortunately, not all neighborhoods make a pleasant impression, but even these shades have a special charm that we really liked.

I continue to work in the furniture industry and am considering developing in it as a freelancer. Tanya is engaged in a field that helps people with a healthy diet, maintaining the body and improving health. The boy, who is now three and a half years old, goes to kindergarten and begins to speak Hebrew. The girl celebrated her one year birthday this month, she just started walking, but already feels like a real Israeli, at least that's how it seems to us. Israel is a stunning and charming country. We have long dreamed of living by the sea, in a warm and pleasant place. Our dream has come true here in the Land of Israel."

"If it wasn't for the war, we would have immigrated together as a family"

Ella Dementiev is a psychologist who immigrated with her two daughters (12, 21) in March 2022. "If war had not broken out, we would have immigrated together as a family, in the coming years, she says. "But because of the war, I immigrated alone with the girls, and my husband stayed in Ukraine. Here we chose Haifa, because this is where our family and friends live, and we have visited here in the past."

"We felt that there was someone waiting for us to help and hug us"

"The final decision to move to Haifa was made during our temporary stay in a hotel in Tel Aviv, when we, together with my friends from Kiev and Aliya partners, joined Zoom meetings for advice, assistance and training for first steps in the country organized for new immigrants by the social activist Tatiana John. We received advice from a group of her volunteers, with experts in various subjects, such as lawyers, educators, doctors. Thanks to them, we discovered many new, essential and important things that helped us a lot to facilitate the absorption in Israel. It was important for us to feel that someone was waiting for us, helping and hugging us. And then the decision was finally made to come to Haifa."

"Suitcase for 3 days"

"Our journey of immigration was not difficult, it was more like an emergency evacuation. On February 23, I traveled with my little daughter by train from Kiev to the city of Chernivtsi, together with my friends in the Jewish community. We had a small suitcase that was enough for 3 days. But at night the war broke out And we didn't return to Kyiv," she says.

"We hope to unite soon, here is Israel"

"Shelters, checkpoints, alarms, escape trains, a difficult border crossing, but the hardest part was waiting for my eldest daughter and my husband who stayed in Kiev and made sure to get our dogs and all the documents out of there. After that I had to say goodbye to my husband for an unspecified time, hoping that the war would end quickly and our family would be reunited already Here in Israel".

"We dreamed of immigrating to Israel"

"Thanks to the Jewish Agency, we were received in Warsaw, after a difficult and exhausting border crossing. The agency staff wrapped us in warmth, took care of us, helped us pass consular checks and immigrate to Israel. The process of assimilation into our family was more complicated due to social and non-mental difficulties. My childhood went to school in Kyiv Jewish, and the whole family kept tradition and Jewish holidays, we were active in the Conservative Jewish community "Masurot". No amount of money in the world can measure the nightmares of the war that our family experienced, but we still needed financial assistance, an absorption basket and assistance to rent an apartment that we received upon our arrival in Israel. The three of us with a dog and one suitcase."

"Fills gaps thanks to working with Holocaust survivors"

"We ran into a problem because of the documents, my daughters are fourth generation. My eldest daughter planned to immigrate at the age of 17 as part of the "Sela" program. 5 years ago we underwent a conservative conversion, which was supposed to end in August 2022 in Ukraine and then we wanted to immigrate to Israel. We completed the conversion process in Israel in July of last year And now my daughters are in the process of getting citizenship. We planned and dreamed of immigrating to Israel, but not because of war. We intend to live and work here, in Haifa, and try to be vital, to be Israeli citizens with full rights."

"Working in my profession"

"Thanks to Prof. Yelena Reva's career development training program for immigrants, I found a job in my profession that brings great satisfaction. I am a supervisor at a club for Holocaust survivors. Unfortunately, I did not get to spend much time with my grandfather, the late World War II veteran Piotr Segal, in my work with Holocaust survivors, I fill in the gaps and am happy that I can contribute to them."

"only in Israel!"

"Israel is an amazing country that never ceases to surprise. A human being has value and weight, when you can meet a member of the Knesset, or even a minister, you can contact him directly and he will listen and give an answer. On our first Purim holiday in Israel, the Minister of Finance, the chairman of Israel Beiteno Avigdor Lieberman, came to congratulate us !", she says excitedly. I found out the information about procedures and how to bring a dog or cat to Israel at a meeting organized by Tatiana John, the head of the Yisrael Beitenu headquarters in Haifa, with MK Yevgeny Soba, who came here specifically to meet new immigrants. These are things that can only happen in Israel!"

"I hoped the war would end within a week"

Lana Polisochenko, a 44-year-old journalist, divorced and mother of an 18-year-old girl, immigrated from Kiev, the capital of Ukraine, following the war and tells about her journey and choosing Haifa as her home.

"My girl is a student who immigrated to Israel in 2021 as part of the Jewish Agency's SLA program. When the war broke out, she was very worried and every day she cried to me on the phone and asked me to leave Kiev and come to Israel. About a week after the start of the war I spent in shelters, Kiev was bombed and snowy and the weather was cool and I started to get sick. So I decided to leave. I hoped that the war would end within a week, but my expectations were not fulfilled."

Already in the first days of the war, I volunteered at the helpline of the civil assistance service, I advised people how to leave, where to go through a consular inspection, etc. I had all the information and since I had the right to ascend, I also decided to take advantage of this opportunity. Within half an hour I packed a sports bag with a small amount of things, took my passport - and left for western Ukraine, I didn't really understand where and when I could get there. First I arrived in Lviv, from there to Warsaw, and from there, after passing the consular inspection, I flew and went to Israel."

"I always dreamed of living by the sea"

Lana says that her mother, a retired woman, decided to stay in Kiev, despite the difficulties and problems with the destroyed infrastructure, such as electricity, water and heating, especially since it is a cold winter. "I came from a central city with 3 million people, so I didn't consider living in a village in Israel, but in a city, in addition to that I always dreamed of living by the sea. There is no sea in Jerusalem, so the option of living fell out of the equation. Although Tel Aviv has a sea, the prices there are too high, including for rent - and as a new immigrant I couldn't afford it. That's why I chose Haifa - a big city, near the sea, you can find work here, and the prices for renting apartments are much lower than in other big cities. In addition, my daughter studied in Karmiel not far from Haifa and she came to me on weekends."

"Want to get involved and contribute"

"I was very well received in Haifa from the very first day. We stayed in a hotel and I was able to rest afterwards. Representatives from the department for integration of immigrants in the city of Haifa helped us with the paperwork and advised us on renting an apartment. I enrolled in the wonderful Etzion Studio - I was accepted because I have a PhD in journalism and I plan to continue studying.
Already in the first week that I arrived, I wrote on the Facebook page of the municipality of Haifa and offered my services as a volunteer. I am very excited by the warm attitude of the residents and the service of the governmental bodies in Haifa. I want to fit in, be active and contribute to the city."

"I fell in love with Haifa at first sight"

"I really like Haifa. I fell in love with it at first sight. The weather is warm and pleasant all the time, even in the winter. The sea I love very much and the people are friendly and wonderful. There are many activities and cultural events in Haifa. I really like the cafes in the lower city, it's always noisy and fun there. I love the beautiful views of Mount Carmel. I love the beach promenade and its restaurants. I fell in love with this city and plan to continue living and working here.

"Getting help in adapting and learning Hebrew"

About the help that the immigrants receive, Lana tells: "Like all new immigrants, I receive help from the Office of Absorption and Aliyah in the first year. They help me a lot in adapting and learning Hebrew. The Authority for Absorption of Aliyah in the city holds many events and trips and I actively participate in them."

"Hapoel Haifa football fan"

"I have relatives in Israel, but not all of them live in Haifa. My daughter is now studying in Jerusalem in her first year at university, my brother and his family live in Or Yehuda, my cousin lives in Beit Shemesh and I stay in Haifa, even though I live here alone, I love everything, and I I plan to live and work here, at least for the next few years. In March of last year I didn't know anyone here, but now, thanks to the integration events of the PA, I have friends here and I'm never bored. I always have someone to go to the theater, to a cafe, to a concert in a club with And to a soccer game. I became a fan of the Hapoel Haifa soccer club," she laughs.