Consular Section Visits Kfar Chabad

Consular Section staff visit the “770”
replica of the Lubvavitch headquarters.

Staff from the Embassy’s Consular Section visited Kfar Chabad on Dec. 3, 2010, to learn more about the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. Each year, the Consular Section issues visas to thousands of Israelis traveling to visit or study at the Lubavitch World Headquarters in Brooklyn, New York.

The Consular Section visited the replica of the Lubavitch headquarters “770,” where staff learned about the life of Rebbe Lubavitch. Next, staff visited the Roeber Company for a demonstration of the binding and imprinting of leather torah covers. Staff also learned about the agricultural side of Kfar Chabad by touring the town’s etrog orchards.

The visit concluded with a tour of Ohr Simcha, a home for at-risk children, where staff enjoyed a kosher lunch and discussed the origins and philosophies of chabad with the hosts of the visit, Rabbi Benjamin Lifshitz, mayor of Kfar Chabad, and Rabbi Slavin, director of Ohr Simcha.

To see more photos from the visit, check out our Facebook album.

Vice Consul Speaks to Israeli-Arab Students in Jaffa

On Dec. 1, 2010, a Vice Consul spoke to Israeli-Arab students at the Tabeetha School in Jaffa about student visas and study opportunities in the United States.

In partnership with EducationUSA and the American Corner Jaffa, the program helped explain the college application process and the student visa application process to many students who had never traveled to the U.S. before.

The event responds to Secretary Clinton's recent video message about International Education Week, in which she stressed the importance of promoting study in the United States to underrepresented populations.

Consular Section Combats Visa Fraud with Social Media Outreach Tour at Israeli Universities

Embassy staff answer visa questions at
Hebrew University, Nov. 30, 2010.

This fall, the Consular Section launched a social media outreach tour to combat  visa fraud. Staff visited several Israeli universities to speak to young people about visas and correct common misperceptions about traveling, working and studying in the United States. 

The tour included a visit to Haifa University on Oct. 19, Ben Gurion University on Nov. 1 and Hebrew University on Nov. 30.

In addition to answering students’ visa questions face-to-face in each university’s student union building, Embassy staff live “tweeted” the students’ questions on Twitter and encouraged them to become fans of the Consular Section’s Facebook page.

Israeli Foreign Ministry Calls Mall Carts an Embarrassment

In a Nov. 23 story published by YNetnews.com, the Israeli Foreign Ministry urged young Israelis not to break the law by working illegally in the United States and other countries.

Dozens of Israelis are arrested every year in malls worldwide. The message from the Foreign Ministry is clear: "Going abroad? Respect local laws and avoid staying and working in the country illegally…We won’t be able to help Israeli detainees."

Read the story: www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3988502,00.htm.

Consul General Speaks to HR Professionals

On Nov. 22, 2010, Consul General Andrew Parker gave a panel presentation on petition-based work visas at a conference for Israeli human resource professionals. The Israel-America Chamber of Commerce sponsored the panel.

Parker's presentation was aimed at professionals managing human resources departments of U.S. subsidiaries in Israel and covered a wide range of topics, from the appropriate uses of B1/B2 visas to the qualifications for petition-based L, H1B, and E visas.

For more information about work visas, visit: http://israel.usembassy.gov/consular/niv/petitionhome.html.

Embassy Warns of Dishonest Job Recruiters Outside Army Release Conference

On Nov. 4, 2010, staff from the Embassy Consular Section visited the Israel Defense Force conference, kenes mistechrerim, to educate young Israelis recently released from the army about visas and legal ways to work in and travel to the United States.

Embassy staff witnessed many job recruiters outside of the conference providing inaccurate information to soldiers about working in the United States. The Consular Section reminds all young Israelis that the primary source for accurate information about visas is the U.S. Embassy and the State Department.

“Young Israelis should beware that many unscrupulous job recruiters don’t have your best interests at heart and may not be following the laws of the United States,” warns Consul General Andrew Parker. “We encourage all young Israelis to visit the Embassy website for timely and accurate information about visas and how to legally work in the U.S.”

All-Hands Meeting with Jerusalem a Success

On Oct. 29, 2010, the Consular Section of U.S. Embassy Tel Aviv traveled to Jerusalem for an all-hands meeting with the Consular Section of the U.S. Consulate General. 

The meeting was the first all-staff gathering in more than six years. Staff from Embassy Tel Aviv toured the Consulate General’s new facility and learned about the Consular Section’s visa operations, as well as American citizen services. 

The event also included break-out sessions among various departments to discuss best practices, fraud trends and opportunities for partnership on joint projects.

“The meeting was a wonderful opportunity to renew our commitment to teamwork with our colleagues,” said Consul General Andrew Parker. “Several joint projects have already resulted from our visit and we welcome the opportunity for future collaborations.”