This month’s Mega Event in Teaneck, NJ was a huge success, as we helped 946 prospective Olim get the best possible advice and guidance to prepare for Aliyah. The informational sessions were packed, the vendor fair was bustling, and it was so rewarding to see over 130 medical professionals begin the process of transferring their medical licenses, allowing them to hit the ground running when they make Aliyah!

On top of the Aliyah excitement, it was our honor to host World Chairman of Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael, Danny Atar as he announced KKL’s exciting new “2040 Plan,” a vision for expanding Israel’s north and south with new residents. We can’t wait to help this program flourish and grow.

We were so pleased that our dear partner, Russell F. Robinson, CEO of the Jewish National Fund-USA, together with Director of the Jewish Agency’s Aliyah and Immigration Divistion, Yehuda Scharf, were on-hand to meet the future Olim. We were honored to have Consul General of Israel in NY, Dani Dayan; Director General of the Negev and Galilee Development Ministry, Ariel Mishal; Executive Vice President and CEO of JCRC, Michael Miller; Senior Vice President for Public Policy and Director of the Washington office of JNFA, William Daroff.

“It has been an amazing experience for us to have hosted our first Mega Event in New Jersey,” said Rabbi Yehoshua Fass, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Nefesh B’Nefesh. “Nefesh B’Nefesh is constantly striving to create accessible ways for potential Olim to explore their options and take those additional small steps toward fulfilling their Aliyah dreams. By bringing the Mega Event to New Jersey we were excited to have reached even more local Aliyah-minded individuals.”

The New Jersey Mega Event was the first of six Aliyah events that took place throughout North America this month. Aliyah Talks & Fairs took place in Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley and special financial planning workshops for families and retirees, as well as Aliyah Dollars & Sense seminars in Montreal, Toronto and Fort Lauderdale.

Nefesh B’Nefesh together with the Steinmetz Herskovitz Family Fund honored the twelve winners of our 2019 “Initiative for Zionist Innovation” (IZI). The initiative was created to support Olim committed to strengthening and improving their communities. This year’s finalists include a hackathon for Olim in tech, an art therapy studio in Haifa, a peer connection program for Anglo women touched by cancer, and more. It was an incredible and inspiring event that helped honored some of our hardest working Olim. A full list of the winners and their initiatives can be found here: www.nbn.org.il/izi

Through IZI, Nefesh B’Nefesh hopes to encourage Olim with a passion for community building and integration to pursue their creative ideas. Through mentorship, networking assistance, seed funding and logistical support, Olim will have an opportunity to help grow communities throughout the country and effect change within Israeli society.