The Government Approved DNA Test in Israel:
Many ask, "How can a DNA test for Jewish Identity cost so much?" This is how.
The Israeli law (Genetic Information Law, 2000) and the procedures of the Israeli Ministry of Interior are rigid. Section 4 of the Law of Citizenship states that anyone born to an Israeli mother or father, whether in Israel or abroad, is an Israeli citizen by birth. See the full PDF document here. A DNA test can be performed only with the authorization of the Israeli Family Court. Suppose the result proves that the child is, in fact, a son/daughter or even a grandson/granddaughter of an Israeli Jew. In that case, the court will order the Israeli Ministry of Interior to register the child of an Israeli as an Israeli citizen. One needs to hire a lawyer to initiate such a process, and this can take a considerable amount of time until it is completed. Note that this DNA examination is not intended to show some general connection to Jewish heritage for Aliyah to Israel, rather specifically prove that a person is the child or grandchild of an Israeli citizen.
Currently, Israeli law doesn’t accept other DNA tests as sufficient evidence to grant Aliyah to a person seeking to immigrate to Israel under the Law of Return. The reason the DNA test result is not accepted as enough evidence to allow Aliyah is in part because the Law of Return excludes Jews who seek to make Aliyah after they have become members of other religions and ceased being Jewish. The Israeli legislature assumed that if a person can’t bring documented evidence to show he or she has Jewish origins, it must be that they have become members of other religions several generations ago; therefore, the genetic link to Jewish roots is not sufficient.
Thus, you can see how entangled the test is in bureaucracy and legalities. It's not simply a DNA test, but there's much more to the procedure itself. As expensive as it is, it can prove to be the difference between a Jewish person finding their home in the land and receiving citizenship, and deportation.
If it's in your heart to help the needy in their desire to take hold of the Land and citizenship, what's rightfully theirs, please consider giving a gift.
Thank you,
~Global Aliyah Team