BY RUISHA QIAN

The Israeli government has been forced to suspend an ad campaign after criticism from the American-Jewish community. The ads, displayed on billboards in U.S. cities and in Youtube videos, encouraged Israeli expatriates to return home.

CNN has the story...

“A series of ads, paid for by the Israeli government, suggested American Jews are not good enough as partners for Israeli citizens, and suggested Israelis living among American Jews are perhaps at risk of losing their religious and cultural identity."

Here’s a recap of the ads...

In one ad, an Israeli couple asks their granddaughter in America which holiday it is. She answers “Christmas” instead of Chanuka. In another, an American husband sees his Israeli wife honoring Israel’s memorial day and mistakes her candles for romantic lighting.

Many American Jews were offended by the ads, which they felt portrayed them as not Jewish enough. The Jewish Federation of North America called the ads’ message -quote “outrageous and insulting.”

A Jerusalem Post correspondent writes:

“Was that really what you think of us American Jews?... That we’re your dumb, rich cousins across the pond who can be laughed at behind our backs? That we are inferior to you? The ads... were extremely successful at highlighting the point that there is, in fact, an ‘us’ and a ‘them.’ The trouble is that we American Jews were surprised to find ourselves lumped in with the ‘them’ – because over here, we thought we were part of your ‘us.’”

A writer for Haaretz says any ad campaign designed to tug expats’ heartstrings should have been more carefully designed.

“Instead of appealing to expatriates' logic, by extolling Israel’s economic stability in these tough monetary times worldwide or showing openings in the Israeli job market, the Immigration and Absorption Ministry decided to reach for their hearts, and failed miserably... The advertisements did not give Israel a good name, offended American Jews, and were a complete misappropriation of direly needed funds.”

But a member of the Zionist Federation of Australia tells World News Australia the ads have a positive message.

“The advertisements basically provide a beautiful message of you’re Israeli, wherever you are, wherever you find yourself in this world, there’s a specialness about being Israeli, and you’re welcome home.”

Israel’s ambassador to the U.S. said the ads were misinterpreted, and weren’t intended to be insulting.