Israel's Law of Return
Right of aliyah**
1. Every Jew has the right to come to this country as an oleh**.
Oleh's visa
2.
(a) Aliyah shall be by oleh's visa; or
(b) An oleh's visa shall be granted to every Jew who has expressed his
desire to settle in Israel, unless the Minister of the Interior is
satisfied that the applicant
- is engaged in an activity directed against the Jewish people; or
- is likely to endanger public health or the security of the State
- is a person with a criminal past, likely to endanger public welfare
Oleh's certificate
3.
(a) A Jew who has come to Israel and subsequent to his arrival has
expressed his desire to settle in Israel may, while still in Israel,
receive an oleh's certificate.
(b) The restrictions specified in section 2(b) shall apply also to the
grant of an oleh's certificate, but a person shall not be regarded as
endangering public health on account of an illness contracted after his
arrival in Israel. Residents and persons born in this country
4. Every Jew who has immigrated into this country before the coming into
force of this Law, and every Jew who was born in this country, whether
before or after the coming into force of this Law, shall be deemed to be
a person who has come to this country as an oleh under this Law.
Rights of members of family
4A.
(a) The rights of a Jew under this Law and the rights of an oleh
under the Nationality Law, 5712-1952***, as well as the rights of an
oleh under any other enactment, are also vested in a child and a
grandchild of a Jew, the spouse of a Jew, the spouse of a child of a Jew
and the spouse of a grandchild of a Jew, except for a person who has
been a Jew and has voluntarily changed his religion.
(b) It shall be immaterial whether or not a Jew by whose right a right
under subsection (a) is claimed is still alive and whether or not he has
immigrated to Israel.
(c) The restrictions and conditions prescribed in respect of a Jew or
an oleh by or under this Law or by the enactments referred to in
subsection (a) shall also apply to a person who claims a right under
subsection (a).
Definition
4B. For the purposes of this Law, "Jew" means a person who was born of a
Jewish mother or has become converted to Judaism and who is not a member
of another religion."
Implementation and regulations
5. The Minister of the Interior is charged with the implementation of
this Law and may make regulations as to any matter relating to such
implementation and also as to the grant of oleh's visas and oleh's
certificates to minors up to the age of 18 years. Regulations for the
purposes of
sections 4A and 4B require the approval of the Constitution, Legislation
and Juridical Committee of the Knesset
** Translator's Note: Aliyah means immigration of Jews, and oleh
(plural: olim) means a Jew immigrating, into Israel.
Amendment of the Population Registry Law, 5725/1965
3. In the Population Registry Law, 5725-1965****, the following section
shall be inserted after section 3:
"Power of registration and definition
3A.
(a) A person shall not be registered as a Jew by ethnic affiliation
or religion if a notification under this Law or another entry in the
Registry or a public document indicates that he is not a Jew, so long as
the said notification, entry or document has not been controverted to
the satisfaction of the Chief Registration Officer or so long as
declaratory judgment of a competent court or tribunal has not otherwise
determined.
(b) For the purposes of this Law and of any registration or document
thereunder, "Jew" has the same meaning as in section 4B of the Law of
Return, 5710-1950.
(c) This section shall not derogate from a registration effected before
its coming into force."
