Young Olim (immigrants) have a new place they can call their first home in Israel. Good Luck!
Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky (L) and Minister Sofa Landver (R) with a new immigrant. (Photo: Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
Young Olim (immigrants) now have a new home in Israel.
Chairman of the Jewish Agency Natan Sharansky and Minister of Aliyah and Immigrant Absorption (MAIA) Sofa Landver dedicated on Thursday a new center for young immigrants from around the world in Tel Aviv.
The Beit Brodetsky Center for Young Immigrants was established to encourage young people to make Aliyah (immigration to Israel) and to ease their integration into Israeli society as they take their first steps as Israeli citizens.
Located in northern Tel Aviv, near Tel Aviv University, the new center provides them with the infrastructure necessary for optimal integration while realizing their individual potential as positive and productive and members of Israeli society .
Comprehensive Support for the Oleh
The center offers a live-in program in which the Olim participate in intensive Hebrew-language lessons, known as Ulpan. Participants further enjoy rich and diverse social and cultural programming and are provided with counseling and guidance on continuing their education and advancing their careers in Israel.
The center is designated to serve as home to some 600 young Olim, who will be divided into two shifts each year.
Thursday morning, the first shift – 294 immigrants between the ages of 18 and 35 from 23 different countries, most of whom arrived in Israel over the past month and more than half of whom hold academic degrees, attended a festive ceremony.
Record Year For Aliyah
Emotional new French immigrants seen after receiving their new Israeli IDs. (Photo: Hadas Parush/Flash90)
Sharansky addressed the enthusiastic olim, stating: “This is a year of record Aliyah, with some 25,000 immigrants arriving in Israel from around the world.”
Aliyah over the past year has seen a five-year peak.
Among those who arrived this year, 60 percent are under the age of 35, and 37 percent are between the ages of 18 and 34. Thousands are young professionals who come on specialized tracks developed by the Jewish Agency and MAIA.
“People around the world ask how immigrants continue to come despite the images of warfare,” Shransky continued. “If they look at you, they will understand how good and complete life is in Israel. Beit Brodetsky is an excellent place to learn Hebrew, to get to know Israel – and also to find a shidduch (match).”
Landver said: “Today you received a first home in Israel, a warm home and a social and professional structure. You are the future of the State of Israel.”
Uriel Benita, who made Aliyah from Peru, and Elodie Assayag, who came from France two months ago, are living in the new center. They thanked the groups and individuals behind the venture for the warm welcome they received.
Assayag described the anti-Semitism she had encountered in France: “One day, I was walking in the street in France and someone stopped me and told me to take off the Star of David necklace that was hanging around my neck. That was when I knew I would be making Aliyah. I have made friends from around the world and I look forward to contributing to my new country.”