Published August 4, 2022 1:18 PM IST
Recent months have seen a huge spike in demand for US passports and other services offered by the United States Embassy in Jerusalem. There is currently a considerable backlog and delay in obtaining Embassy appointments. Many travelers’ plans have been disrupted by the inability to obtain US passports in a timely fashion.
To address these topics, Chaim V’Chessed hosted a delegation from the US Embassy for a dialogue on this matter. On Thursday, July 28, Ms. Elisa Beth Greene, Chief of American Citizens Services at the US Embassy, visited Chaim V’Chessed. She was accompanied by other members of the Embassy staff.
Ms. Greene presented an in-depth overview of the Embassy’s services, as well as the challenges that the Embassy and its dedicated staff are facing in this post-Covid era. She then fielded questions and held talks with Chaim V’Chessed Bureaucratic staff.
Various solutions to alleviate the situation were raised and discussed. However, it should be noted that there is no magical solution for the immediate future. There are copious amounts of applications, far exceeding what the Embassy and Tel Aviv Branch Officer can handle.
Ms. Greene will be leaving her post shortly after several years in Jerusalem. In recognition of her service to the American Citizen population in Israel, she was presented with a plaque by Rabbi Paysach Freedman, CEO of Chaim V’Chessed.
