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The State of Israel can be characterized as having two integration policies: an assimilationist one towards "valued" Jewish immigrants and a somewhat ethnist one towards its "devalued" national minority, namely Israeli Arabs. Using the Host Community Acculturation Scale (HCAS), this study explored Jewish undergraduate ( N =153) acculturation orientations towards "valued" Jewish immigrants of Russian and Ethiopian background and towards "devalued" Israeli Arabs. Results showed that Jewish undergraduates mainly endorsed the integrationism and individualism acculturation orientations towards Jewish immigrants. However, they were more segregationist and exclusionist towards Israeli Arabs than towards Jewish immigrants of Russian and Ethiopian background. Assimilation was weakly endorsed towards both Jewish immigrants and Israeli Arabs. Based on an extensive questionnaire, multiple regression analyses showed that each acculturation orientation had a distinct psychological profile. The integrationism and individualism orientations were endorsed by undergraduates who were tolerant towards ethnic diversity, felt secure personally, culturally, and militarily, and did not endorse the social dominance orientation (SDO). In addition to not feeling threatened by the presence of Israeli Arabs, integrationists and individualists were identified as secular Israelis and Labour Party sympathizers rather than as religious Jews. In contrast, the assimilationism, segregationism, and exclusionism orientations were endorsed by undergraduates who felt insecure personally, religiously, culturally, and militarily, who tended to be less tolerant towards ethnic diversity, and who were more prone to endorse the SDO. In addition to feeling threatened by Israeli Arabs, they avoided close relations with Russian and Ethiopian immigrants. Segregationists and exclusionists were identified mainly as Jewish nationals, Orthodox Jews, and as Likud Party sympathizers. Exclusionists were distinctive in also feeling threatened by the presence Jewish immigrants of Russian and Ethiopian background. While taking into consideration the context of intergroup relations in Israel, results are discussed using the Interactive Acculturation Model ( Bourhis, Moïse, Perreault, & Senecal, 1997 ). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Developmental dysarthria is a motor speech impairment commonly characterized by varying levels of reduced speech intelligibility. The relationship between intelligibility deficits and acoustic vowel space among these individuals has long been noted in the literature, with evidence of vowel centralization (e.g., in English and Mandarin). However, the degree to which this centralization occurs and the intelligibility–acoustic relationship is maintained in different vowel systems has yet to be studied thoroughly. In comparison with American English, the Hebrew vowel system is significantly smaller, with a potentially smaller vowel space area, a factor that may impact upon the comparisons of the acoustic vowel space and its correlation with speech intelligibility. Data on vowel space and speech intelligibility are particularly limited for Hebrew speakers with motor speech disorders. Aims: To determine the nature and degree of vowel space centralization in Hebrew‐speaking adolescents and young adults with dysarthria, in comparison with typically developing (TD) peers, and to correlate these findings with speech intelligibility scores. Methods & Procedures: Adolescents and young adults with developmental dysarthria (secondary to cerebral palsy (CP) and other motor deficits, n = 17) and their TD peers (n = 17) were recorded producing Hebrew corner vowels within single words. For intelligibility assessments, naïve listeners transcribed those words produced by speakers with CP, and intelligibility scores were calculated. Outcomes & Results: Acoustic analysis of vowel formants (F1, F2) revealed a centralization of vowel space among speakers with CP for all acoustic metrics of vowel formants, and mainly for the formant centralization ratio (FCR), in comparison with TD peers. Intelligibility scores were correlated strongly with the FCR metric for speakers with CP. Conclusions & Implications: The main results, vowel space centralization for speakers with CP in comparison with TD peers, echo previous cross‐linguistic results. The correlation of acoustic results with speech intelligibility carries clinical implications. Taken together, the results contribute to better characterization of the speech production deficit in Hebrew speakers with motor speech disorders. Furthermore, they may guide clinical decision‐making and intervention planning to improve speech intelligibility. What this paper addsWhat is already known on the subjectSpeech production and intelligibility deficits among individuals with developmental dysarthria (e.g., secondary to CP) are well documented. These deficits have also been correlated with centralization of the acoustic vowel space, although primarily in English speakers. Little is known about the acoustic characteristics of vowels in Hebrew speakers with motor speech disorders, and whether correlations with speech intelligibility are maintained.What this paper adds to existing knowledgeThis study is the first to describe the acoustic characteristics of vowel space in Hebrew‐speaking adolescents and young adults with developmental dysarthria. The results demonstrate a centralization of the acoustic vowel space in comparison with TD peers for all measures, as found in other languages. Correlation between acoustic measures and speech intelligibility scores were also documented. We discuss these results within the context of cross‐linguistic comparisons.What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?The results confirm the use of objective acoustic measures in the assessment of individuals with motor speech disorders, providing such data for Hebrew‐speaking adolescents and young adults. These measures can be used to determine the nature and severity of the speech deficit across languages, may guide intervention planning, as well as measure the effectiveness of intelligibility‐based treatment programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identity is a heavily researched topic because of its fluid nature. One's identity is constantly changing; thus, it is hard to study. This paper presents the results of research conducted among Hungarian immigrants in Israel. The self‐identification of Hungarian Jews living in Israel is incoherent and complex. The interviewees wanted to present themselves as having different degrees of Hungarian identity (sometimes stronger, sometimes weaker) than they actually seem to have. As the results of this research suggest, self‐identification should be studied using qualitative methods in particular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using Global Northern, non‐Jewish, female, highly skilled partners and spouses of Israeli Jewish citizens in Israel as a case study, and depicting their interactions with bureaucracy, integration into the labour market, gendered aspects of integration and clashes between self‐perception and ascription this paper teases out that, despite its specificity, the case of Israel allows forming conclusions about the precariousness of a class of presumed privileged migrants. The central finding is that Global Northerners experience a status deprivation, which includes deskilling and social marginalization. This nexus was experienced as limiting personal agency, which allows for questioning their presumed status of privileged migrants; it concurrently underscores the importance of the analytically difficult and diffuse nexus of personality and agency. The ethnographic data demonstrates that individuals coped with the challenges differently, suggesting that specific personalities and intra‐ and interpersonal resourcefulness underpin individual resilience thresholds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper we contribute to the study of immigrants’ integration into the host society by focusing on two subjective indicators of integration: life satisfaction and sense of belonging. The analysis is performed on post‐1990 immigrants in Israel with data obtained from the ‘Immigrant Survey’ conducted by the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. The findings show that while life satisfaction is affected by all forms of incorporation (structural, acculturation, identificational), immigrants’ sense of belonging to Israeli society seems mainly related to processes of identity re‐definition in the host society, and mostly determined by strength of Jewish identity, ideological motives for going to Israel, and the ways by which immigrants perceive they are defined by Israelis (as a member of the majority group or as a member of an ethnic group). The results also reveal that when utilizing SEM procedure for estimating simultaneous effects of both subjective measures of assimilation, sense of belonging to the new society strongly affects immigrants’ life satisfaction but not the other way around. We discuss the findings and their meaning in light of theory and within the context of Israeli society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite their impressive patterns of economic mobility and generally successful adaptation into Western host societies, Israeli emigrants frequently view their stay abroad through the perspective of Zionism. As such, they express ambivalence about their presence on foreign soil. They seldom describe themselves as host country nationals, commonly socialize with other Israelis, frequently describe their intentions to return home, and often do so. However, recent events may challenge this outlook. During the 1990s, Israel's significant demographic and economic growth, relatively peaceful relations with neighbouring countries and increasingly globalized economy had the effect of lessening the stigma on going abroad. Then, since the fall of 2000, Israel has been rocked by the Al Aksa Intifada, as well as a major recession. These events have made life more difficult for Israelis. Accordingly, conditions of the last several years can be seen as altering Israelis' motives for emigration and simultaneously shifting the probability of return among those already overseas. While a topic of interest in its own right, the experience of Israeli emigrants since late 2000 also offers a natural experiment for evaluating how theories about migrant transnationalism consider the consequences of specific events upon relations with citizens abroad. This paper relies on in-depth interviews and other data sources to explore Israeli emigrants' views about remaining in host societies versus returning to Israel since late 2000. In so doing, it considers how emigrants evaluate potential benefits, costs and feelings of identification associated with residence overseas versus Israel. The paper also seeks more general insights into how relations between migrants and the country of origin are altered when events affect political and economic conditions in the country of origin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main concern of this paper is to classify the different methods of measurement of sense of place (which is a very vague concept). The existence and intensity of sense of place is also related to social and cultural variables, such as ethnic and religious background. This paper reviews the different methods of measuring sense of place and classifies them according to different criteria. The study applies a bipolar (positive and negative level of attachment), unidimensional scale which is composed of one component of scaling, using a ‘direct’ technique. The results point to similarities and differences between Israeli-born and immigrant groups. Most of the respondents in both groups had similar patterns of positive feelings towards the place where they live. The differences were smaller than the similarities. The sense of place scale applied in this study has the advantage of being a simple tool that is understandable to all types of respondents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using Israel as a case study, the paper considers the social mechanisms by means of which the medical profession seeks to maintain its boundaries and control in a social context characterised by the recent arrival of twelve thousand immigrant physicians from the former Soviet Union. This situation poses a threat to the veteran medical profession which is described as combining elitist and proletarian elements in an uneasy balance. In the past the principal mode of resolution with regard to this duality has taken the form of demonstrative assertions of the elitist component. With the large influx of immigrant doctors, three mechanisms geared to maintain control have been utilised: (i) the formal licensing examination for general practice; (2) full control of employment options in the health care system and (3) a widespread negative stereotype regarding the level of immigrant physicians' professional skills. The paper discusses these mechanisms and their implications for the profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim To report on an Israeli academic nursing project, aimed at supporting the integration of Ethiopian immigrants into nursing studies. Background The representation of ethnic minorities within nursing is crucial for the provision of efficient care in diverse societies. Nevertheless, successful integration of minority students in nursing programs is not a simple task and needs developing support systems that will attract and retain students from minorities. Ethiopian Jewish immigrants and their descendants in Israel form a community of 120 000 people. Their participation in the national workforce is low, as well as their average income. Methods The paper is based on formative evaluation, using action research, of an academic nursing program in Israel. Findings Four main strategies identify this project: (1) a policy of institutional commitment, (2) personal relations with staff, (3) personal tutoring, and (4) cultural safety education. The project has reached success in terms of attraction, retention and students' satisfactions. The project's two main challenges, which need further concern, are: (1) giving support without labelling and (2) supporting without creating dependency. Conclusions and International Policy Implications Appropriate strategies can enable success of minority students. Nevertheless, the amount of support needed for such programs raises two major questions: (1) To what extent should individual nursing departments be expected to bear solutions to this widely experienced problem? (2) How does focusing on one minority affect cultural safety of the overall group? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immigrant professionals comprise a growing segment within current migration waves, but the determinants of successful transnational skill transfer are poorly understood. In this paper, I offer a framework for the evaluation of these determinants, drawing upon three empirical studies among immigrant professionals from the former Soviet Union in Israel. I start by describing the social context of immigrant integration, including policies aimed at assisting skilled immigrants to get a fresh start on the local labour market. Next, I reflect on the nature of various professions in terms of their cultural and linguistic dependency, with the ensuing adaptive potential upon migration. I also tap into the main macro-economic and institutional characteristics of the host society that may facilitate or hinder the initial entry and subsequent mobility of immigrant professionals within local organizations. I apply this analytical frame to the discussion of Israeli studies among immigrant professionals who represent three different points on the scale of cultural dependency: engineers (technical occupation), physicians (combining standard medical training with cultural skills) and schoolteachers (most dependent on language and local cultural codes). In every case, the resulting success or failure of occupational continuity reflects a complex interplay of context-bound and individual factors, aggravated by the small size and rapid saturation of the local labour market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the psychological well-being of high school adolescents immigrating from Russia and Ukraine to Israel without parents. Data were collected in a 3-year longitudinal study that covered the premigration through postmigration periods. Immigrant adolescents were compared with nonemigrating adolescents in Russia and Ukraine. Psychological well-being of immigrants was highest in the premigration period. During the process of immigration, general self-esteem, body image, social competence, school competence, and loneliness followed a U-curve: they declined in the 1st year after immigration and improved in the 3rd year after immigration. Emotional and behavioral problems of immigrants increased in the 1st year after immigration and did not change in subsequent years. At the end of the 3-year period, self-esteem exceeded the premigration level, emotional and behavioral problems and loneliness remained below the premigration level, while body image, social competence, and school competence returned to the premigration level. Throughout the entire immigration period, the psychological well-being of immigrants was higher than that of nonemigrating adolescents. Premigration psychological well-being as well as perceived social conditions in the host country (discrimination and social support) predicted postmigration psychological well-being. The results obtained are discussed in light of the stress-coping model of immigration and ecological systems theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the experience of re-migration. It uses the narratives of 32 adults, emigrants from Israel who intended to stay abroad permanently, but eventually returned, to explore central themes. Among the themes which emerged from the narratives are language and identity, idealization and reality, and the role of the wider social ethos in affecting the personal experiences of first migration and return. The paper then analyzes these narratives in light of two central models: Berry's acculturation model, and Sussman's cultural identity model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we examine and compare the ethnic identity of the Jews in the former Soviet Union (FSU) and the process of change in ethnic identity among the new immigrants from the FSU. This analysis considers the role of the kibbutz as the first experience of Jewish community in their lives, as well as the location of the first phase of their process of absorption and resocialization into new and unfamiliar surroundings. The data are drawn through a longitudinal research design, with a pre- and post-analysis of changes in the ethnicity of migrants studied from their arrival on the Israeli kibbutz until the completion of the five-month kibbutz programme. We found that pre-migration Soviet Jews defined their ethnicity as a discriminated national minority with a weak symbolic ethnicity content. The ambivalent nature of the ethnicity of Jews while in the FSU was expressed in the fact that although a majority were deculturized from traditional dimensions of Jewish life, they nevertheless felt they belonged to a specific ethnic group. Post-migration ethnicity was found to be remarkably altered; the former ambivalence was dissolved. On the macro-level, membership in the economically and politically successful Russian-speaking group of Israeli society is a source of self esteem, rather than a sign of shameful otherness. On the micro-level of ethnicity, the encounter in the initial phase of absorption in Israel, within the kibbutz Jewish community, often demands a re-examination of their private concept of Jewishness, serving as a first step in resolving their ambivalent ethnic identity. Consequently, their new ethnic identity may now well have weaker boundaries, but a more positive (non-alienating) content than that left behind. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]