NBN Wings 15,000TH New Immigrant To Israel
By Steve K. Walz

Nefesh B’Nefesh (NBN) kicked off its series of summer aliyah flights from North America and the UK in typically dramatic fashion last Thursday. The chartered flight from New York featured NBN's 15,000th new immigrant, as well as four young American women who made the jump from the cozy confines of their American lifestyles to be with their Israeli-born and bred fiancées. This provided appreciative Israeli TV journalists with some fascinating pictures and stories.

NBN's 15,000th olah (new immigrant), Ms. Tracy Levy of Houston, Texas, was among 300 North American and British Jews who made aliyah with Nefesh B’Nefesh from the U.S., Canada and the UK over a 48-hour period last week. According to NBN, 2,000 North American and British Jews are expected to move to Israel this summer on 13 Nefesh B’Nefesh charter and group aliyah flights.

Tracy Levy (left) displays her new Israeli identity card before senior NBN staff members, including Tony Gelbart, Danny Ayalon and Rabbi Joshua Fass.

"Although bringing our 15,000th new immigrant is an exciting and significant milestone, we look toward the future with growing excitement as we anticipate facilitating the expansion of western aliyah," said NBN co-chairman and former Israeli ambassador to the U.S. Danny Ayalon. "We are honored to be taking such an active role in the revitalization of western aliyah, and to witness the revival of modern-day Zionism - which is helping strengthen the State of Israel."

Levy, a journalist who is writing an offbeat book about graffiti in Israel, is also a competitive horseback rider. She plans to complete her Masters degree and pursue her dream of becoming a photojournalist. As Levy puts it, "Coming from a strong Zionist background and being involved in Jewish organizations throughout college, I feel elated to finally be making aliyah. Being able to pursue my career in Israel, as a citizen, is a dream come true."

The new immigrants are facing a new economic reality in Israel. Those who sold their apartments and homes in the U.S. at a significant profit are finding that the value of the dollar in Israel has depreciated by nearly 20-25 percent during the past year. Israeli real estate companies have also converted their prices from dollars to the strong shekel. Thus Israeli real estate brokers are finding that many young couples, and especially single men and women, are now looking to rent first – before investing by buying property in cities such as Jerusalem, Netanya and Tel Aviv.

A mother and her child are welcomed to the Holy Land.

But in places like Beit Shemesh and Modi’in, where prices for a new apartment or home are still cheaper than Jerusalem or Tel Aviv, large numbers of families and entire shul kehillot are purchasing properties ahead of their NBN aliyah later this summer.

According to NBN's latest statistics, the support and comprehensive social services offered by Nefesh B'Nefesh have ensured that 98 percent of the new immigrants have stayed in Israel, while 94 percent of the families have one or both spouses employed.