Goldberg apologizes for criticism of Jewish Agency

Robert Goldberg, the chairman of the United Jewish Communities in North America, has apologized for criticizing the group’s primary overseas partner, the "Jewish Agency for Israel". Goldberg had caused a stir at the Jewish Agency’s board of governors meeting for saying that “The Jewish Agency is a dinosaur. It is a bureaucratic and inefficient organization, political, inflexible and does not initiate quick enough responses to changes. Therefore it is having difficulty bringing immigrants from the West and is competing with private organizations that are preparing them for aliyah. Now aliyah is made out of choice and the Jewish Agency is not prepared to do this because they don’t understand the mentality of Americans.” He had added that the federations are not entirely supportive of North American aliyah. The comments came as the Jewish Agency was wrapping up three days of meetings among its board of governors in Israel to approve programs under its new plan which includes encouraging aliyah from North America.