Erez Halfon will enhance the organization's strategic partnerships with Israeli government bodies and agencies.
By HAVIV RETTIG GURerez halfon 88 248(photo credit: Ariel Jerozolimski)
Aliya organization Nefesh B'Nefesh has hired Erez Halfon, the former director-general of the Immigrant Absorption Ministry, to be its vice chairman.
Halfon's role in the private aliya body will be "enhancing the organization's strategic partnerships with Israeli government bodies and agencies, and furthering its ties within the Jewish world," the organization said in a statement.
Halfon was the architect in recent years of a large program of tax benefits aimed at encouraging overseas Jews and Israeli expats to relocate to Israel. In 2007, Halfon estimated that Western olim, because of their high level of education, work experience and 90-percent employment rate within their first year here, are 40% more productive than the average Israeli worker.
"The population which Nefesh B'Nefesh works with is socioeconomically strong, and that translates into a clean economic benefit for Israel," Halfon told The Jerusalem Post Sunday.
One of his first acts in his new position will be to draw up a report, "an accountant's ledger, that will measure the contribution of these olim to the Israeli economy. I want Finance Ministry officials to understand the work of this organization and the material benefits to Israel."
He added, "Zionism today needs the knowhow of business management."
Halfon will also work to raise awareness of NBN's work throughout government agencies.
"The Immigrant Absorption Ministry understands their work, obviously, but it's important that the Prime Minister's Office, the Foreign Ministry and the Interior Ministry do as well."
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