How Nefesh B’Nefesh is making aliyah easier

Since being founded over 20 years ago, Nefesh B’Nefesh (NBN) has sought to make moving to Israel (aliyah) much easier. It helps new migrants from North America find employment, housing and tackle complicated bureaucracy. NBN recently took its first steps into Australia via MedEX events in Melbourne and Sydney – which sought to attract much needed medical professionals to Israel.

Israel is seeking 2000 international doctors over five years, to help with a severe medical shortage as many doctors who arrived from the Soviet Union are now retiring and Israel’s infrastructure has not created enough places for medical training. Over 100 medical professionals in Australia attended the MedEx events, which provided a one stop shop where they could receive notarised documents for credential recognition, advice on grants, and job interviews with leading healthcare institutions including Hadassah and Rambam.

MedEx is an initiative of NBN, in partnership with Israel’s Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, Ministry of Health, and Ministry of the Negev, Galilee, and National Resilience, in cooperation with the Jewish Agency for Israel. Since the beginning of 2024, approximately 650 doctors have immigrated to Israel.

The AJN spoke to NBN Executive Director Rabbi Yehoshua Fass, who co-founded NBN in August 2001 with businessman Tony Gelbart. Discussing the inspiration for starting NBN, Rabbi Fass said that he had long dreamed of making aliyah but that goal came to the fore after his cousin was killed during the Second Intifada.

“It really recalibrated my compass,” he said.

Rabbi Fass said it was common in the US to a hear “We wish we could do it [make aliyah]… but the bureaucracy… but the financial elements of it are too restrictive and prohibitive.”

It made him realise that the low number of North Americans making aliyah was not indicative of less passion for Zionism but that within Israel ‘aliyah’ had been set up for those fleeing, and not those who were running towards “a generational promise, a dream or their own personal aspirations.”

This is where NBN stepped in, to help fill the gap.

“In 2002 we had our first charter flight, and the rest is history. In 2005, the Prime Minister’s office started to fund a non-profit for the first time, giving us the empowerment to facilitate aliyah.

In 2008 we signed a historic agreement with the Jewish Agency, and we’ve been working hand in hand with both the Government of Israel, the Ministry of Immigration absorption, and the Jewish Agency since, and it’s been an honour, a pleasure, privilege and inspirational endeavour to be part of for these last two decades,” Rabbi Fass shared.

Asked if NBN is looking to expand to Australia, Rabbi Fass said, “We’ve always wanted to expand to other countries. We’ve been in discussions over years with community leaders who reached out to us, but there’s a lot of work. Through our relationship with the Jewish Agency and the government for aliyah facilitation, we’re very much locked into North America. Who knows what the future will bring, and also with these new partnerships and new involvements, people are more forthcoming with expanding our services.

“But we operate when it comes to the medical physicians program, which was launched a year and a half ago, the International Medical Aliyah physicians program really motivated and empowered us to go around the globe. And we have been in France, London and Kiev… Australia, Canada, and it’s been remarkable.”

As to whether there is a shortage of other professions in Israel Rabbi Fass said there was also a need for engineers, AI experts and mental health professionals following the catastrophe of October 7 and its aftermath.

NBN also has a contract with the IDF whereby it supports lone soldiers from around the world.

Asked how aliyah trends have changed since the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023 and the war in Gaza, Rabbi Fass noted a general increase in aliyah during war time, as people often seek to show solidarity, as well as a trend towards younger people between 18 to 30 making aliyah.

Data over the last two years shows aliyah rates have declined from the former Soviet Union but have increased from Western nations.

The Times of Israel wrote, “After removing the former Soviet Union numbers, 2024 actually shows a 47% increase over the year before, with nearly 11,000 coming in 2024 compared to 7,500 in 2023. Israel is currently on pace to top 10,000 new immigrants from non-Russian-speaking countries in 2025, according to Della Pergola.

“In the United States, immigration rose from about 3,000 in 2023 to 3,200 in 2024, according to the CBS, and aliyah organisation Nefesh B’Nefesh has said it expects 2025 to end with as many as 4,000 moving from the US.”

At the same time a Knesset report revealed that 125,000 Israelis emigrated between 2022 and 2024.

On whether Rabbi Fass believes rising antisemitism in the West has contribute to aliyah rates, he said that from the applications from North America, “Less than 5% of people are acknowledging openly that antisemitism making them feel uneasy.”

“But I definitely think there’s an undertone of discomfort or people questioning the long-term stability of the Jewish community in any area. Obviously, in France and London, people are openly discussing that they don’t see a future, and therefore they’re going to be adjusting their own personal trajectory.”

“It will be tragic if people felt that they have to flee, and tragic that the whole concept of aliyah will be back to what it used to be – of rescue,” he said.

Rabbi Fass said that since NBN started they have helped around 100,000 people make aliyah. Today many of the people who were on the first flights to Israel when NBN started are looking to give back and offer opportunities to new olim (migrants).

Rabbi Fass expressed, “It’s just very, very heartwarming to see close to 100,000 people not just survive but thrive here and build the next generation of Israelis in our homeland.”