The nation of Israel - would they consider accepting American citizens

[Stand_watie]

for citizenship (i'm talking about ethnic non-Jews) on a fast track basis (let's say after honorable completion of a 4 year tour of duty with the IDF, learning of Hebrew and the equivalent acceptance and swearing of fealty to the principles of the Nation of Israel as American citizens-to-be are asked to accept to receive citizenship.

In particular, I'm thinking of horrific scenarios where a gigantic % of the Israeli population were killed or incapacitated by terrorists.

Curious about hypothesis about the future in worst case scenario - rather than current policy.

[wmenorr67]

Don't know that you would have to learn Hebrew.  I believe a rather large percentage of the population speaks English better than most other countries.  I know that the one night I got to spend in Tel Aviv back in '93 I had no problems getting around town and conversing with the locals.
As for gaining citizenship, you would probably have to go speak to a consulate and see what the requirements are.  I don't believe being Jewish is a requirement.

[The Rabbi]

The State certainly has non-Jewish citizens.  Roughly 25% of the country are Arab Muslims and Christians with some Druze.  About 25% are Russians (more technically from the Former Soviet Union) and about a third of them arent Jewish, some with no relationship to Judaism whatsoever.
That said I do no believe it is possible to become a citizen just out of nowhere.  But ask the local consulate.

[wmenorr67]

Found this.  Might give you some answers.

http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/MFAArchive/2000_2009/2001/8/Acquisition%20of%20Israeli%20Nationality

[Mannlicher]

stand, you seem very concerned about the situation with  Israel, from your posts.  Do you have a dog in this fight?  Are you Jewish?  Muslim?  What is the prime motivator for all these questions?

[crt360]

They used to have some program where they actively pursued Jewish U.S. citizens to come live in Israel.  Despite having a considerable percentage of Christian, Muslim and other religions, they are very serious about maintaining a strong Jewish majority and would no doubt vehemently oppose anything that might dilute it.

[lee n. field]

Are you Jewish?  Muslim?  What is the prime motivator for all these questions?

There's a large chunk of American evangelical Christians that have an absolute fascination with Jews and the modern state of Israel (coming from a particular very popular eschatological theory, details available at grocery store book racks everywhere).

Curious about hypothesis about the future in worst case scenario - rather than current policy.

Worst case, both sides find their cities have been mined with nukes.

[Stand_watie]

stand, you seem very concerned about the situation with  Israel, from your posts.  Do you have a dog in this fight?  Are you Jewish?  Muslim?  What is the prime motivator for all these questions?

I'm a white Christian of mostly puritan ethnological stock dating back to the Mayflower. My interest in Israel is firstly religious. I consider Judaism and Israel as Christian heritage, and secondly American, as a canary in the coal mine to free democratic principles with equality and constitutionally guaranteed rights for all citizens as an objective, in a part of the world where that ideal is the exception rather than the norm.

There's a large chunk of American evangelical Christians that have an absolute fascination with Jews and the modern state of Israel (coming from a particular very popular eschatological theory, details available at grocery store book racks everywhere).

While I'm evangelical and a Christian, and I derived my views on Israel from like minded persons, I have no eschatological interest whatsoever. While I consider the Book of Revelations to be the inspired word of God, I haven't studied it, I make absolutely no sense of it when I read it, and don't believe that I personally could make a difference one way or the other about end times absent a particular personal revelation from God to myself. I'm absolutely agnostic about when the world is going to end, and how exactly it is going to come about. I suspect the large majority of Christians who feel the way I do, while they may have been inspired by theological great-grand-children of the forbearers of the eschatological theory you mention, are similarly agnostic and are motivated more by religion that looks to the past (as our heritage) and politics that look to the present than by theories presented by Jerry Jenkins. My own pastor, who is as large a supporter of zionism as myself, is as agnostic on the eschatological reasoning for Christian support of Israel as I am. We both support Israel as Christians and as Americans, with no concern for whether or not our support will have anything to do with end times.

[Antibubba]

Stand,

   I don't remember what it is you do for a living, but maybe you could take a sabbatical?  Living in Israel is very different than it is here.  Taxes are very high, as are prices in general.  The 2A is not recognized; people are issued weapons in defense of the State, not against it.  There are a lot of hurdles, I understand, to a private citizen owning guns, privately.  And if you get chafed by American liberals, wait until you encounter Israeli socialists!

   I'm not trying to discourage you, but if you can live and work there for 6-12 months, you'll have a much more realistic view of the place.

[Stand_watie]

Stand,

   I don't remember what it is you do for a living, but maybe you could take a sabbatical?  Living in Israel is very different than it is here.  Taxes are very high, as are prices in general.  The 2A is not recognized; people are issued weapons in defense of the State, not against it.  There are a lot of hurdles, I understand, to a private citizen owning guns, privately.  And if you get chafed by American liberals, wait until you encounter Israeli socialists!

   I'm not trying to discourage you, but if you can live and work there for 6-12 months, you'll have a much more realistic view of the place.

Antibubba. I work in industry in America. As such my sabattical will have to be retirement. That said, I want to spend the rest of my free life that I have the money to get there, in Israel visiting the places of my spiritual if not physical forbearers. Imagine being able to go to a particular spot and being able to look at the place where King David looked upon King Saul "covering his feet" and chose not to take his life!

 I realize that Israel is socialist compared to America, and 2nd amendment considerations non-existent. That said, my posited scenario is "Israel in serious danger of being extinguished from the Earth as a nation" which is something of an end-world scenario, and an issue I'd consider risking or giving my life toward. I can't imagine emmigrating to Israel if I wasn't willing to risk my life, even if I was a "Peace immigre", but given my educational background, I can't imagine Israel would accept me, except as a soldier (although given my age/health it would probably be a "home guard" soldier, tasked with inventorying meal rations or some such).

Still, a man does what he is capable of doing.  I'm probably too old and fat to run up hills chasing Hizzbollah, but I'm capable of standing guard at a checkpoint and shooting straight if somebody decides to run it.

P.s. I regularly read Ha'aretz - a newspaper that is every bit as liberal as any American paper, despite being literally "Under the gun".  So I have no illusions about Israeli society being anywhere near as conservative as American. That said, sometimes philisophical or relgious rightousness has to trump political rightness.

pps. I've seen former PM Netanyahu on Larry King espousing American capitalism over  Israeli socialism. so I'm optimistic about Israel's current political future.