Reference no: EM133362811

Case: Upon their arrival in Israel, immigrants are offered language training, housing, job search assistance, and, for their first several months, economic support.

From its founding as a state, Israel has also required military service-not just for the young or for men only (though women serve for a shorter time and largely in noncombat positions). The primary goal is national security, but the collateral benefits have been considerable.

A recent weakening in the military service requirement has entailed a loss of some social "glue." Today less than 60 percent of Israeli men are drafted.

If one lesson stands out from Israeli immigration policy, it is this: nations that are serious about wanting more immigrants but nonetheless worried about their socioeconomic ability to absorb them can minimize potential tensions though comprehensive immigrant absorption programs.

Lessons for the United States

If nations want their new arrivals to become better integrated with their societies, they must give them a core of knowledge to do that. In the United States immigrants are left to acquire such information on their own.

There is little government support for teaching it, except for the children of illegal immigrants, who are entitled to attend primary and secondary school, but not to attend college here without a student or work visa.

Just as with language instruction, the government could provide the rough equivalent of high school civics courses, either directly or indirectly, to all immigrants who seek citizenship.

Questions:

1. Why would the U.S. hesitate to adopt similar policies?

2. Should the U.S. require learning the English language or U.S. assimilation?

3. Can diversity and assimilation coexist?