Just five months into 2022, Nefesh B’Nefesh, in partnership with Israel’s Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, The Jewish Agency for Israel, Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael and JNF-USA, has welcomed over 1,000 Olim to Israel and is now gearing up for a major wave of Aliyah this summer. Over 2,000 individuals from over 20 states and provinces across the United States and Canada are expected to arrive in Israel during the summer months.
The organization’s flagship Charter Aliyah Flight will resume after a multi-year hiatus due to COVID-19 restrictions, and plans are underway for assisting thousands of new Olim who will arrive via 10 group Aliyah flights as well as individual arrivals.
“We are extremely excited to resume our summer Charter Aliyah Flight once again and are looking forward to welcoming thousands more Olim to Israel this coming summer,” said Tony Gelbart, Co-Founder and Chairman of Nefesh B’Nefesh. “We are continuously amazed how each and every Oleh is contributing to the development of the country and remain committed to assisting them at every stage of their Aliyah process as they make Israel their new home.”
The upcoming expected wave of Aliyah follows a season of Nefesh B’Nefesh events and initiatives, which has drawn thousands of participants both planning and contemplating Aliyah. Last week, the organization hosted a celebratory “Homecoming BBQ” for Olim from the Tri-State area who are making Aliyah during the summer. The event was attended by hundreds of individuals, including the soon-to-be Olim and their extended families. The month of May also saw a successful virtual “Mega” event and job fair, which had over 1,600 registrants and encompassed a variety of Aliyah topics for prospective Olim from over 45 states and provinces across North America, as well as from two dozen countries around the world. Prior to these two events, Nefesh B’Nefesh held a two-day “MedEx” event in NJ, in cooperation with Israel’s Health Ministry, providing an array of resources and personal meetings, expedited licensing and support for more than 300 medical professionals and 125 physicians planning their upcoming moves to Israel.
Nefesh B’Nefesh Olim has established various programs to foster the lives and activities of all Olim. These include the FIDF-Nefesh B’Nefesh Lone Soldiers Program and “Ori” for Lone Bnot Sherut, which offer assistance and guidance to the young men and women who choose to volunteer in the IDF or national service.
Additionally, projects such as the Initiative for Zionist Innovation (IZI) and the Zionist Educational Initiative (ZEI) have been implemented to support the Olim community within Israel, as well as to strengthen the connection between Olim and Diaspora Jewry. Finally, as a joint initiative with Keren Keyemeth LeIsrael, “Go Beyond” was created to grow Israel’s periphery by encouraging Aliyah to the Northern and Southern communities.