A few days ago I was fortunate enough to meet Rose Fostanes. Rose returned to the Philippines for her first visit after winning the Israeli version of the X-factor. She stunned Israel with her unique voice and very special personality. Her victory in the most viewed show in Israel placed Rose in the spotlight not only in Israel but also in the Philippines and in fact all around the world.
Her success has much meaning in Israel and symbolizes more than just a personal story of a strong woman’s fight to improve her life against all odds. Her story is in a way the story of Israel, a nation that has gathered in people from all around the world. People of different backgrounds, cultures and traditions. People who in times of trouble found refuge and acceptance in a faraway land.
From 1977 till 1979 on hearing of the plight of the Vietnamese boat people, our then prime minister, Menachem Begin, opened the doors of the country to many. He stated that as a people who had been through the holocaust we could not look away when others were in need.
Israel as a society has and always will be open to strangers who knock on our door. Much effort is made to insure that rights are guaranteed and conditions fair. We in Israel are grateful to migrant workers like Rose who come to Israel in order to earn an honest wage for their family, while helping Israel to prosper. In Israel migrant workers have a vibrant cultural life, Tagalog newspapers and food. The government insures that everyone has adequate medical care and social benefits. There are Israeli NGOs dedicated to insuring workers’ rights. In fact, the largest organization whose aim is helping workers with whatever problem arises during their stay in the country is funded by the municipality of Tel Aviv. Showing yet again how important it is for us to take care of our guests.
Maybe more than other peoples in the region, we understand the difficulty of being far from home and family and do our best as a society to welcome Filipinos and to insure that their stay in Israel is a good one. Every family in Israel has in its personal history a tale of being alone in a distant land and can easily empathize with our migrant guests. We hope that when the OFWs are back in the Philippines years later, they look back on Israel with warm feelings in their heart and like Rose Fostanes will be able to say that their stay with us propelled them on the way to a better life.
Thank you Rose for your so sweet voice, it will forever be a reminder of what is good and right between our two nations.
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(Menashe Bar On is the Ambassador of Israel.)