9th Annual Nefesh B'Nefesh Mega event kicks off Sunday
Some 1500 people are expected to attend this year's Mega Event in search of answers to their aliya questions.
By NOA AMOUYALUpdated: FEBRUARY 26, 2017 04:15
Some 1,500 potential olim are expected to attend Nefesh B’Nefesh’s ninth annual Mega Event in Manhattan on Sunday to learn the ABCs of what they need to know before embarking on the life-changing aliya journey.In an attempt to cater to the myriad of different interests for the olim, the event will hold five different programs during the daylong event at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York.With a theme centered around “Imagine Greater Possibilities,” 50 sessions will target medical professionals (of which more than 300 are expected to attend), young professionals and retirees.For some in attendance, this will be their first time dipping their feet in the aliya pool, but for others, the event will answer some crucial final questions before they pack their bags.Necessary information explaining Israeli’s health-insurance system, banking, buying and renting a home and pinpointing where to live will all be addressed in a variety of workshops and one-on-one sessions.“We have continuously seen a rise in aliya interest from North America in recent years, so much so that we had to move the Mega Event to a college campus to accommodate and ensure every interested individual and family gets the attention and information they need,” said Rabbi Yehoshua Fass, co-founder and executive director of Nefesh B’Nefesh.“Now we have the ability to provide additional programming for children, significantly more sessions on Aliya planning, as well as an Israeli-themed food market.”Nefesh B’Nefesh, which has brought 50,000 olim to Israel, is currently celebrating its 15-year anniversary.This year, additional aliya fairs also will be held in Toronto, Montreal and Los Angeles co-hosted by Nefesh B’Nefesh, Israel’s Immigration and Absorption Ministry, the Jewish Agency for Israel, Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund and JNFUSA.