The Challenge of Absorbing Tens of Millions of Median Jews

There are tens of millions of Median Jews in the Middle East and beyond with the largest demographic concentration being in Turkey. Nearly all Median Jews live in countries that are significantly less economically developed than Israel and hence moving to Israel – one of the 20 most developed economies – will prove very attractive indeed.

However, tripling or quadrupling Israel’s population within ten years will prove quite a challenge in terms of providing jobs, schools, universities, hospitals and housing to tens of millions of new citizens. Israel has coped with such challenges before and will no doubt cope with such challenges once more. 

There is also the fact that these immigrants have vastly different religious denominations despite having common origins 27 centuries ago. The Orthodox Jewish religious establishment in Israel will have to abandon its ambitions for religious hegemony and its monopoly over Jewish religious services as the Israeli government will have no choice but to recognize that Judaism is an extremely diverse religion with many different branches.

Absorbing tens of millions of immigrants within a decade will be an unprecedented endeavor for a nation of this relatively small size. Israel will no doubt have to borrow vast sums of money in the international markets to cover the costs of the vast investments that are required. The greatest challenge of all will perhaps be to create new jobs for so many new immigrants within such a short time span.

How then will veteran Israelis view the new arrivals with vastly different religious practices from their own? The return of the descendants of the ten deported Israelite tribes is a thousands of years old dream that will come true and the reception will no doubt be more than enthusiastic.

There is also the fact that Median Jewish mass Aliyah (immigration) will usher in a new era of peace as when Israel has received at least 10 million Median Jewish immigrants will Israel be able to redeem and enfranchise the entire Judea and Samaria. The Jordanian monarchy will subsequently be very happy to annex Gaza and the Palestinian question will be resolved once and for all.