@AinOhvMilvado – “What ARE you talking about?
There are MANY zechuyot one receives as an oleh chadash.
Just speak to anyone who came with Nefesh B’Nefesh.
Why would you prefer to keep dutch citizenship to Israel citizenship?!?”
Apparently you didn’t read what I wrote.
This way, one receives all duties and benefits of an oleh chadash. All the subsidies, sal klita, benefits – everything.
The only, single, difference is that you don’t get Israeli citizenship – instead, all you get is a teudat zehut. Meaning inside Israel you’re 100% like a citizen, no differences at all – except that you can’t vote for the Knesset. Once you go outside of Israel you’re back to being whatever nationality you actually are.
Again, as I wrote, this is how just about everyone from The Netherlands and several other European countries does it. Now it could be this arrangement is only possible for people from those specific countries.
And as for why I wouldn’t want to give up my Dutch citizenship? Well, for the simple fact that after spending many years (working fulltime!) in Israel I was completely out of money and in heavy debts, even though I was working 43 hours per week. Since I couldn’t find any better jobs in Israel, and also because I intend to perhaps continue my studies at some point and in Europe I can get a ~ $1300 per month subsidy from the Dutch government to study in Europe, I decided to move back to Europe.
Found a job in the UK, my wife found a job as well, and now our income has doubled in comparison to a year ago and we are finally managing a decent life and to pay off our debts.
I’m able to live and work in the UK because I am a Dutch citizen – that’s the European Union: free movement of people. I can legally live and work in any European country, from the UK to Greece and from Finland to Portugal, anywhere in between. So can my wife, even though she herself isn’t a EU citizen.
If I had given up my Dutch citizenship when immigrating to Israel, I would probably be begging for tzedokoh in the streets now in Israel. In the best case, I’d be living with my mother-in-law now.
Trust me – giving up your ‘other’ citizenship in exchange for Israeli citizenship is the WORST possible mistake one could possibly make. For Americans, Canadians and many others it is not a concern since those countries allow dual citizenship. But for many Europeans it is a very real issue. Luckily I have never met anyone who was silly enough to actually accept Israeli citizenship and lose his EU citizenship.