Nefesh
B'Nefesh
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| Rabbi Yehoshua Fass, a founder of
Nefesh B'Nefesh says American Jews will come to Israel
to live | |
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| North Americans are coming to
Israel in increasing
numbers | |
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| "It is true that many NBN olim
prefer the high comfort level of making their first home in
Israel alongside other English-speakers, they have settled
across the length and breadth of the country, in large cities,
small towns, kibbutzim and moshavim" |
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| "Olim are often shocked (in a
positive way) that despite the salary differences between the
Diaspora and Israel they can manage on much less in Israel.
And as they go about their regular, everyday lives, they
occasionally have to pinch themselves to realize that they are
living in Israel and fulfilling dreams they have clung to
since childhood in many cases" |
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Making a home for 'Anglos' in
Israel
Group trying
to pave the way for thousands of Americans on
aliyah
By Ynetnews
Rabbi
Yehoshua Fass is co-founder & executive director of Nefesh B'Nefesh , an organization to encourage and
help North American Jews make aliyah to Israel by minimizing
financial, professional, logistical and social obstacles faced
by potential olim.
Since its inception in 2002, Nefesh B'Nefesh has
been working to enable thousands of families to move to Israel
and help ensure their successful absorption in the country.
Prior to creating the organization, Fass was
associate rabbi of Boca Raton Synagogue, in Boca Raton,
Florida.
Fass now lives in Ramat Bet Shemesh with his wife and
children, including two new native-born Israelis.
Ynetnews talked with Rabbi Fass about the future of
American aliyah to Israel.
What is the reason
for the apparent increase in olim from North America in the
last few years? Is it increased anti-Semitism in the U.S.,
decreasing economic opportunities there or increased prospects
for peace here?
I think that more and more people are actualizing their
dreams of aliyah as a direct result of the removal of the
practical obstacles
often
associated with it. Nefesh B’Nefesh, in particular, has
identified the need to minimize the financial, professional,
logistical and social obstacles of aliyah - a formula that is
helping to ensure the successful absorption of their olim.
Whereas in the past, 50 percent of North American olim
returned to the U.S., today through proper guidance services
and full comprehensive support, olim arrive in Israel with a
complete support system in place, whether in employment,
social welfare, housing and education opportunities for
their children. They are educated, informed and ready to run
in a realistic manner
Of course today’s telecommunications market has
shortened the distance between the Diaspora and Israel.
Low-priced phone calls, email, and video conferencing have all
substantially narrowed the gap. The whole world has truly
become “smaller.”
As for anti-Semitism - that really has nothing to
do with it. Nefesh B’Nefesh represents “aliyah of choice” and
realizing one’s dreams and ideals, not fleeing from oppression
or other external threats.
What kind of people
are coming from North America through your programs? I hear
they are mostly modern Orthodox young couples who want to
settle in Anglo enclaves like Beit Shemesh and southern
Jerusalem - or is the NBN "community" a diverse mix of
religious practice, age and income levels?
NBN olim represent the entire spectrum of the Jewish
community: Orthodox, Conservative, Reform and unaffiliated.
NBN is working closely with the leaders of each of these
Jewish denominations in order to maximize cooperation and
appeal to each of their members to make and promote aliyah.
In the most recent group flight, in December
2004, some 70 percent of all olim were non-Orthodox.
We have young families, singles and retirees.
While it is true that many NBN olim prefer the high comfort
level of making their first home in Israel alongside other
English-speakers, they have settled across the length and
breadth of the country, in large cities, small towns,
kibbutzim and moshavim.
What is
the biggest surprise (good or bad) your olim are finding once
they are settled in Israel?
I think that many olim are surprised at how their
biggest foreseen hurdles are actually easier to overcome than
they had predicted: finding a job, employment, housing,
education, new settings. On the other hand, the smaller
unforeseen everyday occurrences turn into the larger
obstacles, being the communication barrier, new shopping
(etiquette), etc..., which were less obvious to cause a ripple
in their lives.
An additional interesting observation is that
olim are often shocked (in a positive way) that despite the
salary differences between the Diaspora and Israel they can
manage on much less in Israel. And as they go about their
regular, everyday lives, they occasionally have to pinch
themselves to realize that they are living in Israel and
fulfilling dreams they have clung to since childhood in many
cases.
Prime Minister
Ariel Sharon talks of bringing 1 million Jews to Israel in
coming years. With few other places really having many Jews
left, are most of those going to come from the U.S.? How many
people have you brought so far, and is anywhere near Sharon's
number going to come?
So far, we have seen exponential growth. We began in 2002
with 500 olim. The next year we doubled that number. Last year
we reached 2,000 and this year we hope to bring as many olim
as all previous years combined. While these numbers remain
small in absolute terms, I clearly envisage a day of mass
aliyah from North America. Our recent seminars for prospective
olim in North America attracted over 6,500 interested people.
We have 7,000 individuals at one stage or another in our
processing system. I think that more and more are coming to
realize that aliyah is for regular, everyday people.
What does the
government here need to do to really encourage aliyah?
Clearly one of the most important things that the
government can do would be to provide increased funding to all
aspects of aliyah - from financing flights, to job searches
and absorption allowances. Beyond this, in a general sense, a
less bureaucratic, more streamlined government infrastructure
would remove many of the obstacles that new olim face. NBN’s
success has stemmed precisely from these virtues: we knock
down bureaucratic stumbling blocks and make it EASY to come on
aliyah.
What are the best
(or worst) forms of preparation for aliyah? Is it best to come
right after (or before) university? Or is it better to have
solid professional credentials before trying to make it
economically here?
This is a personal question that can vary from
oleh to oleh. It is always sound and responsible to make
aliyah from a position of strength. This varies from strong
careers, education and financial stability. However,
invariably individuals who remain in the U.S. in order to
achieve these factors usually find themselves in a perpetual
state of “preparation." Or equally frustrating can be their
arriving at a comfortable stage and feeling secure with their
capabilities and resources, but then their children are at an
age that makes the move more difficult and they need to take
many more factors into consideration.
The ultimate way to make aliyah is for a person to plan: to
choose an appropriate career for Israel, prepare his family
with frequent trips to Israel and master (even basically) the
Hebrew language in order to start off right.
Nefesh B’Nefesh’s aliyah professionals are
specifically trained to consult and guide each person in their
quest to realize their dream of moving to Israel.
I have
heard that as many as one-half of all American olim go back to
the "Old Country." Do you have data on past practices? What is
your "retention rate" so far?
In the past, when “making it” in Israel was much more
difficult than it is today, there was a significant percentage
of olim who returned to the U.S. We believe that our
organization’s assistance and guidance helps assure not only
larger numbers of olim, but also a more durable, successful
aliyah. Although we are still in our early days, 99 percent of
our olim remain in Israel today, and that is nothing less than
incredible.
Each of the ethnic
groups that make up Israel today has made its own unique
contribution to the country. What are the special provinces of
the "Anglos"?
It is hard to distinguish the general trend of
the “Americanization” of Israel from the influence of North
American olim. Having said that, we do know that many of our
olim perform vital services, as native English speakers, in a
wide array of positions for the hundreds of Israeli companies
that deal with the global economy. This is particularly the
case in the technology and financial sectors. I also feel that
many positive American influences are starting to seep into
Israeli culture, from the demand for high quality service to
movements dedicated to the environment, health and consumer
rights.
Do you find it
funny that American Jews, who may be plagued, as it were, by
"WASP's" in America, are called Anglo-Saxons when they come
here?
There is irony in that, but it is not unique. In Russia,
the term “Russians” referred to the ethnic majority, and was
never applied to the country’s Jews. Today, we refer to the
“Russians” here and they see that as rather ironic. What I
find really strange is that growing up in the U.S., people of
my generation laughed at our “fresh off the boat” parents and
grandparents with their funny accents. Today, my own kids view
me in much the same way!
(06.19.05, 11:43)
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