Nefesh B’Nefesh, in partnership with Israel’s Aliyah and Integration Ministry, The Jewish Agency for Israel, Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael, and Jewish National Fund-USA, closed out a record summer of aliyah with its End-of-Summer Party at the Jerusalem Aliyah Campus. The festive gathering brought together 250 attendees, new olim and their families, alongside staff and supporters, to celebrate a season marked by record-breaking numbers and inspiring stories.
This summer marked a turning point in aliyah from North America. The organization celebrated the landing of its 65th charter aliyah flight, the first charter flight since the onset of the Israel-Hamas War, while August alone reached an unprecedented milestone, with over 1,000 olim arriving in a single month, the highest recorded in 25 years. These arrivals included a wide range of individuals and families, doctors and engineers, young professionals and retirees.
The olim that arrived this summer found new homes in cities across Israel. Jerusalem emerged as the top destination, welcoming 384 new residents. Beit Shemesh followed closely with 380 olim choosing to build their lives there. Ra’anana became home to 162, Tel Aviv to 127, and Modi’in to 100. Many others chose to settle in Israel’s periphery, contributing to the growth and development of communities in the North and South of the country.
The festive event in Jerusalem was filled with music, food, and activities for the new olim, including a one-year aliyah time capsule, where olim wrote themselves a letter that they will read after their first year living in the country. Olim connected with fellow newcomers, sharing stories of their first weeks in Israel. Nefesh B’Nefesh post-aliyah advisers were also present, offering information tables and guidance to help olim with their next steps, now that they are on the ground.
A highlight of this summer was the breadth of professional expertise that arrived this summer. Many of the new olim are medical professionals, engineers, and entrepreneurs, underscoring the long-term contribution that aliyah continues to make to Israel’s society and economy.
This summer was not only about numbers but about stories of new beginnings, families planting roots, professionals starting careers, and individuals fulfilling a lifelong dream of making Israel their home. The End-of-Summer Party captured the essence of that achievement, bringing together those who had just arrived and those dedicated to supporting them on their journey.
With thousands of new arrivals across the country, the impact of this record summer of aliyah will resonate far beyond 2025.
Written in collaboration with Nefesh B'Nefesh.