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On making aliya

Younger generations are moving to Israel, and in doing so, revitalizing the country.

Olim arriving on Nefesh B'Nefesh flight
Photo by: Courtesy of Nefesh B'Nefesh
The State of Israel is hurtling toward pensionable age, having turned 64 this past April, and the numbers of new migrants being absorbed has declined dramatically since the exodus that followed the collapse of the Soviet Union. But year upon year, thousands of young people continue to make aliya, in order to take advantage of the nation's dynamic economy and rich culture. This could mean attending university, learning Hebrew, working on a kibbutz, joining the army, or simply beginning life anew.

This may sound cliché but the statistics show it to be a truism: there is a clear generational bulge amongst new olim (Jewish immigrants), between the ages of 18 and 30, and they journey to Israel from around the world. The newest ulpan– a five-month intensive Hebrew course – has just commenced, and its attendees find their origins in the United States, Russia, Ukraine, Finland and Hungary, amongst others.

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