The Ostroshko Family, Netanya
On the 2006 International Children¡¯s Day, which is celebrated on November 20th, AMF representatives, participated in a discussion held by the Knesset¡¯s (Israeli parliament) Immigration, Absorption, and Diaspora Affairs Committee. This discussion focused on the issue of children from immigrant families who have no legal civil status in Israel, and was honored by the presence of the Interior Minister, Mr. Roni Bar-On. AMF representatives came to the committee meeting with Vadim Ostroshko, an 18 year old boy who has been residing in Israel without any legal civil status. Vadim told his story to the committee.
Vadim came to Israel at the age of 12 ¨ö. Since that time, he has been living in the city of Netanya with his father and stepmother who had immigrated to Israel approximately two years prior to his arrival. Vadim's father, Sergei, who was also present at the Immigration Committee meeting, is not Jewish. He was granted citizenship under the Law of Return since he was married to a Jewish woman (Vadim¡¯s stepmother). Every attempt, however, that Sergei has made over the last several years to resolve his son¡¯s legal civil status through the Ministry of Interior has failed. Because Vadim is from Sergei¡¯s previous marriage and has no blood ties to his Jewish stepmother, he is ineligible to qualify for legal civil status in Israel under the Law of Return.
Vadim graduated from the Sharet High School in Netanya, was entitled to receive a high school matriculation certificate, and wanted to enlist the Israeli army. He has also been participating in educational and social activities targeted at teenagers from mixed families, which have been held through AMF¡¯s Netanya branch, and has maintained strong ties to other teenagers who have taken part in these activities.
Over the last several years, Vadim didn¡¯t have close relationships with his mother, who lives in Italy with her partner and their baby. Vadim can not imagine living anywhere but Israel: this is where his closest family lives; all of his friends are Israeli; this is where he spent all his teenage years; he is fluent in Hebrew and is familiar with Israeli society and culture. In spite of all this, the Ministry of Interior has refused to resolve Vadim's legal civil status and has notified him that he is obliged to leave the country. Since Vadim turned 18 in August 2006, his fear of being deported has increased.
The discussion which was held in the Knesset¡¯s Immigration Committee meeting, as well as Vadim's appearance at that meeting, received broad media coverage. Interior Minister Roni Bar-On, although refusing to carry out a comprehensive change to the Ministry's policy with regard to immigrant children who have no legal civil status in Israel, did declare during the course of the discussion that he would try and provide assistance in resolving humanitarian cases. Moreover, he instructed Ministry officials to help Vadim receive legal civil status in Israel.
Vadim and his family were hopeful that their problem was on the verge of being solved and that Vadim would be granted his long awaited Israeli citizenship. They did not, however, have the opportunity to see whether the Minister's promises would be realized. On the morning of Saturday, November 25th 2006, Vadim was killed in a deadly car accident near Zichron Ya¡¯akov as he was returning from a night out with his friends in Haifa. Vadim's funeral was held on Sunday, November 26th, at the "alternative cemetery" at kibbutz Bahan, 20 minutes ride from Netanya, where non-Jews may be buried. The funeral ceremony was attended by dozens of teenagers and youngsters, friends of Vadim, and dozens of family friends and acquaintances who mourned Vadim¡¯s tragic death.
The Ministry of Interior: 1,000 Immigrant Children Fear Deportation
By Nurit Palter and Natasha Mozgovaya
Published in Yedioth Ahronoth, Isreal¡¯s most widespread daily newspaper
November 20th, 2006
Further Deatils
"Killed after Notified: You will Soon be Deported"
"I'm requesting citizenship so that I can live here with my parents and serve in the army", said the youngster last week to the Interior Minister at the Knesset ¡Ü Yesterday he was killed in a car accident.
By Eran Navon, Nurit Palter and Natasha Mozgovaya
Published in Yedioth Ahronoth
November 26th, 2006
Further Deatils
