Social integration and identity of immigrants from western countries, the FSU and Ethiopia in Israel

Abstract

This study of immigrants’ integration in Israel centers on one major subjective parameter, namely the immigrant's identity. To explain it we explore a series of possible factors: demographic variables, economic status, and human and social capital characteristics. Three recent immigrant groups are examined: from Western countries, from the former Soviet Union (FSU), and from Ethiopia. These immigrants came to Israel during the last two decades from different societies, following different immigration circumstances and various motives.

The findings, based on the 2007 Ruppin survey data, point to the significant impact of the identity as perceived by veteran Israelis on the immigrants’ self-identity for the three groups under study. Also, different variables affect each of the immigrant groups. FSU immigrants behaved according to most of our hypotheses, whereas Western and Ethiopian immigrants did not. Findings are discussed in light of the debate on measuring and defining immigrants’ identity.

Keywords:

• Identity
• immigrants
• integration
• Israel
• Ethiopian Jews
• Russian Jews

Acknowledgements

The survey data for this study was obtained with the support of The Institute for Immigration & Social Integration at Ruppin Academic Center and The Israeli Ministry of Immigrant Absorption.

Notes

1. The significant portion of non-married living together with partners may relate to existing constrains to secular marriage for the non-Jewish FSU population, but may also stem from cultural differences (FSU are less religious and less traditional). Since the conventional classification, used in the literature, is the one differentiating between married and others, I used it in the analyses.

2. In this survey more than 90% of FSU immigrants stated that they are Jews. But this is a subjective definition, which may be different from the religious definition (born to a Jewish mother). Since in Israel the marriage administration is religious, FSU immigrants not Jews by the religious definition are faced with constrains in their marriage process.