LACO deals with a variety of cases, helping new immigrants integrate into Israeli society.
LACO's cases fall within four basic categories:
Conversion
Ministry of Interior Status Issues
Family Re-unification
Ethiopian Age Correction
Conversion
Peter converted to Judaism in Poland through the Orthodox Rabbinate and even studied and lived in a yeshiva for the first few years after immigrating to Israel. Neither the Interior Ministry nor the rabbinate was prepared to take responsibility in Peter’s case, and he was thrown like a "ping-pong" ball from office to office until he was finally arrested by the Immigration Police for staying in the country illegally. After all our efforts to try and lay the responsibility for the treatment of the file with the Ministry of Interior failed, we petitioned the Supreme Court and are waiting for a hearing.
back to top
Ministry of Interior Status Issues
Sasha, an immigrant from the Ukraine, arrived in Israel first at the age of 12 in a program with Chabad, stayed in Israel for two years, and then returned at the age of 16 with the NAALE program (“Jewish Youth before Parents”). Despite all this, when at the age of 18 he asked for oleh status he was refused, and was told that he must bring a valid Ukrainian passport before his claim could be processed. Sasha was unable to bring a valid passport, as that would mean his returning to the Ukraine and serving in the Ukrainian army. Without knowing what to do, Sasha stayed in the country illegally until he was arrested. After we took the case, we immediately petitioned the Supreme Court and Sasha’s Judaism was recognized--and then all of the bureaucracy evaporated.
back to top
Family Re-unification
David and his wife moved from Ethiopia to Israel ten years ago. While David is not Jewish, his wife is and therefore, he was granted Israeli citizenship along with his wife. Shortly after moving to Israel, David was notified that his first wife in Ethiopia had died, orphaning their son, Ben. David did all that he could to bring Ben to Israel, however little Ben was denied entry by the State because he did not qualify for citizenship under the Law of Return. David turned to LACO for help, not wanting to have to choose between staying with his current wife and family in Israel or returning back to Ethiopia to be with his son from his first marriage. LACO attorneys went to court on David's behalf so he would not have to make such a choice; LACO won and David was able to bring his son to live with his family here in Israel.
back to top
Ethiopian Age Correction
Two siblings, olim from Ethiopia, came to LACO for help with age correction. The sister claimed that she is 16 and not 14 as was noted in the population register, and her brother is 14 rather than 11. Because of the mistake in registration, the children were put in classes with younger pupils, which had caused significant problems. The parents were also concerned that due to this issue, the girl might be drafted late. The sister had an x-ray picture of the palm of her hand, which served as proof of her argument. The parents only have two children and they remember for a fact that the daughter was born the year Mangisto lost power (1991) and that their son was born two years later, not three or five. Unexpectedly, the court was convinced and approved the registration of new birthdates for the siblings ensuring that they will both be drafted to the army at the correct age.
back to top