- On February 15, 2005, Judge Michael Chertoff, a "de
jure" Israeli citizen, was sworn in as the second Secretary of the
Department of Homeland Security for the United States.
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- While his official biographies carefully omit the essentials
of his parents' citizenship, this much can be deduced.
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- Michael Chertoff, was born on November 28, 1953 in Elizabeth,
New Jersey, to an Israeli mother, Livia Chertoff, and Rabbi Gershon Chertoff
(citizenship unknown).
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- His mother Livia was the first airline hostess for Israel's
El Al Airlines, and participated in Operation Magic Carpet, the airlift
of 45,000 Yemenite to Israeli-occupied Palestine in May 1949.
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- It is simply not possible that Livia could have even
become a U.S. citizen by November 1953, due to the 5-year residency requirement.
She could have only have been an Israeli citizen (and perhaps Polish if
she retained the citizenship of her birth nation).
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- Here is Livia Chertoff's obituary:
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- Source: The Star-Ledger Newark, NJ
- Published: December 21, 1998
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- Livia Chertoff, 73, El Al flight attendant
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- 21 December 1998
- The Star-Ledger Newark, NJ
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- OBITUARY Services for Mrs. Livia Chertoff, 73, of Delray
Beach, Fla., mother of former U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey,
Michael Chertoff, will be held at 1 p.m. today in the Kreitzman's Memorial
Home, 1500 Morris Ave., Union.
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- Mrs. Chertoff died Saturday in the Ashbrook Nursing Home,
Scotch Plains.
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- She was the first airline hostess for El Al Airlines
and participated in Operation Magic Carpet, the famous airlift of Yemenite
Jews to Israel.
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- Mrs. Chertoff also operated L'Artigue, an art gallery
in Elizabeth.
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- Her son, Michael, served as Assistant U.S. Attorney for
the Southern District of New York from 1983 through 1987 and as First Assistant
U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey from 1987 through 1990. He
was U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey from 1990 through 1994
and during the Whitewater investigation in 1995 and 1996, he was counsel
for the Senate Banking Committee.
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- Born in Poland, Mrs. Chertoff lived in Palestine and
Elizabeth before moving to Florida several years ago.
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- Also surviving are three sisters, a brother and two grandchildren.
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- Below are Israel's citizenship laws, which clearly show
that Michael Chertoff was an automatic Israeli citizen at birth, despite
the fact that he was born in New Jersey.
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- The operative law for Michael Chertoff is this one:
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- By Descent:
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- Child born on or after July 14, 1952, at least one of
whose parents is a citizen of Israel, regardless of the child's country
of birth.
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- ISRAEL CITIZENSHIP LAWS
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- CITIZENSHIP: Citizenship is based upon the Citizenship
Law of 1952 and amended in 1968.
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- Any Jew who immigrated to Israel before July 14, 1952,
was granted citizenship after declaring a desire to reside permanently
in Israel.
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- Any former citizen of Palestine, present in Israel before
July 14, 1952, was granted citizenship upon fulfillment of certain (unspecified)
conditions.
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- Any Jew or a member of a family of a Jew who immigrates
to Israel after expressing their intention to settle in Israel, if from
the date of their arrival as an immigrant, unless, being abovethe age of
eighteen and a foreign citizen, they declare within three months from the
date of arrival, that they do not wish to become an Israeli citizen. A
"member of a family" of a Jewincludes a spouse, a grandchild,
and spouses of the child or grandchild of a Jew.
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- BY BIRTH: Birth within the territory of Israel does not
automatically confer citizenship.*
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- Being born in Israel to a citizen of Israel.
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- Stateless person, born in Israel after May 14, 1948,
is able to apply for citizenship between their 18th and 21st birthdays,
provided they have resided in Israel for at least five years before application.*
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- BY DESCENT:
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- Child born on or after July 14, 1952, at least one of
whose parents is a citizen of Israel, regardless of the child's country
of birth.
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- A person born outside Israel while a parent was an Israeli
citizen by Return (a'renaturalized' Jew), Residence, or Naturalization.
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- PHOTO: THE ISRAELI CITIZEN WHO IS OUR NEW HOMELAND SECURITY
CZAR, MICHAEL CHERTOFF.
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- The son of El Al's first hostess is keeping our "homeland"
safe.
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- Don't you feel more secure already?
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