For decades, olim from English-speaking countries gravitated toward familiar centers – Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh, Modi’in, Ra’anana, Efrat, and other like-minded communities such as Neveh Daniel, and Hashmonaim. These locales offered a combination of religious familiarity, English-speaking infrastructure, and communal support that made them natural landing zones for new immigrants. But a quiet demographic shift is emerging.
Between 2015 and 2025, over 40,000 olim from English-speaking countries arrived in Israel, according to data from the Ministry of Aliya and Integration. Of those, nearly 40% were between the ages of 18 and 30 – a striking generational shift that is beginning to reshape where and how immigrants from English-speaking countries settle in Israel. The old, established handful of cities is still attracting English-speaking immigrants, but is no longer the exclusive hub of Anglo-Israeli life.
Over the past two decades, Aliyah from English-speaking countries has remained remarkably steady, even as aliyah from other places, including Russia, has slowed. According to data from the Jewish Agency, since 2004, an average total of approximately 4,500 individuals per year have made Aliyah from English-speaking countries, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.
This is regardless of economic crises, war, political instability, anti-Israel sentiment, and global disruptions, circumstances that one might expect to impact immigration decisions.
Historically, these immigrants have gravitated toward cities with strong communal infrastructure – synagogues, schools, and English-speaking services that ease the integration process. Beit Shemesh, for example, has emerged as a leading destination for families, particularly those with children under 17. Data from the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration shows that Beit Shemesh alone absorbed 11,931 out of about 42,000 olim from English-speaking countries between 2015 and 2025, nearly a fourth of all arrivals from those countries during that period.
Yet beneath the familiar trends lies a new story. Young adults – those ages 18–30 – are making aliyah from English-speaking countries at rates significantly higher than any other age group. While Jerusalem remains the leading destination, two cities are rising fast: Tel Aviv and Herzliya.
Tel Aviv – once seen as too secular or prohibitively expensive for many immigrants – has become the second-most popular destination for young olim from English-speaking countries, particularly those in their 20s and 30s.
Drawn by career opportunities in tech and innovation, a vibrant social scene, and the growth of young religious communities, many are finding Tel Aviv an increasingly viable place to build Jewish life. JLIC, a program of the Orthodox Union, has emerged as a significant player in this space, partnering with local synagogues and the municipality to build meaningful young-professional communities that connect, support, and anchor new olim.
Herzliya reflects similar trends, bolstered by its proximity to Israel’s high-tech hubs and the presence of Reichman University’s English-language programs. Here too, OU-JLIC works closely with synagogues and local partners to strengthen communal infrastructure for young adults, helping Tel Aviv and Herzliya become welcoming homes for a new generation of olim.
Young olim building lives around career opportunities, academic advancement
This demographic trend signals a significant generational and ideological shift. Today’s young olim are not necessarily seeking the comfort of religious homogeneity or established enclaves. Instead, they are building lives around career opportunities, academic advancement, and cosmopolitan living.
The changes go beyond young people; in general, more olim are heading to these places as well as other occupations. Netanya, for example, absorbed 321 English-speaking olim in the last two years. In addition, immigrants are heading to small communities in the north and south of Israel. The idea of a monolithic “English community Aliyah” experience is dissolving into a more diverse and decentralized landscape.
However, this shift introduces new questions. While Tel Aviv and Herzliya may be ideal for young professionals, they are not built for long-term affordability. As these olim age, marry, and start families, the search for housing often pushes them to more peripheral or emerging areas. Some of these regions frequently lack the very infrastructure that immigrants from English-speaking countries depend on: English-accessible schools, synagogues, and communal support systems.
Without that infrastructure, families often find themselves isolated, navigating Israeli systems alone, with a greater risk of disengagement or even return migration. Some have sought to address this by pioneering communities in developing areas. Carmei Gat is such an example, offering more affordable living alongside grassroots communal development. While modest in scale when compared to the big communities, Carmei Gat and similar communities could represent the next frontier in the English-speaking Aliyah story.
At the same time, not all English-speaking olim seek the same communal intensity. The figures of Aliya show that some intentionally settle in mixed or Hebrew-speaking cities – such as Rehovot, Petah Tikva, Ramat Gan, or various Yishuvs - hoping to integrate more fully into Israeli society and language. This choice, while admirable, also comes with challenges: the absence of community infrastructure can make the integration process emotionally and socially difficult. These realities challenge anyone passionate about the future of Israel to craft thoughtful and perhaps even coordinated responses.
The recently established Department for Anglo (native English-speaking) olim’s Engagement at the OU, which I head, cares deeply about this evolving landscape and is already investing in initiatives that address these demographic shifts. The demographic data referenced above, drawing on sources from the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, the Jewish Agency, Nefesh B’Nefesh, and the Central Bureau of Statistics, are fascinating.
This moment is not simply about tracking where English-speaking immigrants live; it is about ensuring they can thrive where they live. Whether in Tel Aviv, Carmei Gat, or Efrat, olim from English-speaking countries need support systems that balance integration with identity, and affordability with community.
The next phase of Aliyah will not only be defined by replicating the past, but also by innovation – across housing policy, community development, educational access, and social networks. Encouragingly, the private sector has begun to recognize both the need and the financial potential in establishing new communities beyond the traditional areas.
Some of these initiatives are still in the early or exploratory stages, but the momentum is building. From housing policy to educational access, the government is also playing a significant role in helping to make sure English-speaking olim are empowered to realize their full potential as engaged, contributing members of Israeli society.
Looking ahead, it is key to strengthen our focus and develop creative solutions across the nonprofit, private, and public sectors to meet the evolving needs of the English-speaking community in Israel in the years to come. NGOs working in the field, communal leaders, and municipal planners must also read the data carefully and think beyond the “English-speaking bubble”, not to dismantle it in any way, but to explore how to expand the current offerings.
If we want olim from across the age and financial spectrum to plant roots, raise families, and become engaged contributors to Israeli society, we must work together to help them find places where affordability, identity, and belonging can coexist.
The English-speaking Aliyah map is changing. The real question is whether our communal structures and our collective vision are prepared to change with it.
The writer directs the OU in Israel’s newly formed Department for Anglo Engagement and Programming.