The 65th Nefesh B’Nefesh aliyah charter flight, the first since October 7, arrived in Israel on Wednesday just before 7 a.m.
A team of the immigration organization’s staff members, government ministers, and members of the press waited impatiently as a plane carrying 225 new immigrants from North America taxied.
Standing on the tarmac awaiting the opening of the aircraft door, other olim, who had gone through their own emotional immigration process back to their ancestral homeland, had eyes filled with tears. The arrival of another wave – a full plane’s worth – of people who would be contributing to Israel’s future had them all choked up.
Actress Diane Neal, who made aliyah two years ago, was present at the welcoming ceremony alongside her peers at the Aliyah and Integration Ministry.
This flight, a result of the partnership of the ministry, The Jewish Agency for Israel, Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund, and JNF-USA, marked a new peak, contributing to over 1,000 new immigrants arriving this month – the highest monthly total in over 20 years.
This commitment to the Zionist dream is especially notable given the ongoing regional conflict and rising antisemitism worldwide.
Nefesh B'Nefesh has helped nearly 100,000 immigrants
This group of new immigrants joined more than 90,000 others who have made aliyah with the support of Nefesh B’Nefesh since 2002.
Among the new arrivals were 45 families, 125 children, 10 singles, and three retirees. The group included five doctors and 19 healthcare professionals, ready to join the medical system. A significant number, over 30, are part of the “Go Beyond” initiative, which focuses on strengthening Jerusalem and Israel’s peripheral regions.
Nefesh B’Nefesh founders Rabbi Yehoshua Fass and Tony Gelbart described the flight as “a culmination – almost like stage one. So it’s very exciting. It’s like getting to the huppah, to the wedding.
“It’s always remarkably emotionally exciting to see individuals on a micro level fulfilling their dreams and also probably [those] of generations who wanted to come to Israel,” Gelbart told The Jerusalem Post.
Looking back on the flight’s departure, Gelbart said: “It’s a farewell ceremony, and it’s very emotional. And the last moments in America before they move, people take a pause to realize the significance and the historic nature of that moment. And it’s a beautiful, unifying moment for all the olim before they get on the plane.”
“This is our 65th flight. Wow. And, you know, this 65th one is like the first one, because although it’s somewhat routine... they’re different people,” Rabbi Fass said.
The sheer number of children on the flight sparked emotion in itself. “This was a special flight. We had over 125 kids, which contributes to the future of Israel,” Gelbart said. “The entire aliyah experience, what we try to do is make it holistic, from the very moment, the first moment that a person’s interested in making aliyah, to them thriving and settling here and integrating into Israeli society.”
Aliyah and Integration Minister Ofir Sofer expressed his excitement, noting, “We are continuing to see more and more newcomers choosing to be part of the Zionist story, at a time when the State of Israel is facing difficult times and, worldwide, antisemitism is on the rise at an alarming rate.”
“Every new oleh is a courageous expression of faith in the State of Israel, especially in its most challenging moments,” said Jewish Agency Chairman Maj.-Gen. (ret.) Doron Almog. “Seeing children, families, young people, and adults choosing to tie their fate to that of the Jewish people is a powerful uplifting declaration of deep belonging.”
In a pilot initiative to streamline the process, representatives from the ministry and the Population and Immigration Authority issued te’udot zehut (Israeli IDs) and distributed te’udot oleh (immigration certificates) during the flight, allowing the new immigrants to finalize their aliyah before landing.
THE NEW immigrants hail from a variety of North American communities, including New York, New Jersey, Florida, and Ontario, and will settle in cities across Israel such as Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Haifa.
“The olim, who are choosing to build their lives in the State of Israel, constitute a significant part of the strength of the Jewish nation,” said KKL-JNF Chairwoman Ifat Ovadia-Luski. “Their arrival, especially during these times, is a tremendous expression of trust in the resilience of Israeli society.”
The makeup of the olim who traveled via the charter flight was relatively diverse in cities of origin, professions, and even species. A golden retriever named Archie made aliyah with his family to Zichron Ya’acov, and four Lagotto Romagnolo pooches made the trip up to Haifa, all the way from Iowa.
Though everyone’s goal for their immigration is different, there was one primary commonplace: a commitment to building the rest of their lives in the Holy Land.
The Baskin family made aliyah from Cleveland, Ohio, with plans of immersing themselves into Zichron Ya’acov’s laid-back community. Here, their beloved dog, Archie, could enjoy space and a relaxed atmosphere regardless of what’s happening in the country.
Parents Joseph and Revital are both physicians, specializing in psychiatry and endocrinology, respectively. Both parents received assistance in conversion of their medical licensing with the help of Nefesh B’Nefesh’s Med-X, intending to continue to practice and contribute their expertise to the country.
“It’s taken us more than six months and lots and lots and lots of work. We had to request paperwork and get seals, we needed to get chairman letters and letters of good standing, recognizing diplomas and all these things, and we just finally were approved,” Dr. Revital Gorodeski Baskin told the Post.
“Mom and dad decided this was the right move,” Dr, Joseph Baskin said. “My wife is originally from Israel. We were married in Tel Aviv, and when we left Israel after we got married, we looked around and we said we’re going to be back here at some point,” he said. “It just took us longer than we thought.”
The family decided to move to Zichron Ya’acov because they had family in the area, and Joseph had previously lived there, along with Revital’s grandfather.
But, truly, no one was more excited to move there than their three kids, Sigal, 17, Itai, 15, and Liat, 12. The three teens told the Post about what they were most excited about in their new life here, any fears they might have, and their last summer at home before moving, and how they felt that they were closing a chapter in the best way.
“It’s really scary. I’m, like, freaking out, but I keep reminding myself that growth only happens when you really jump out of your comfort zone,” Sigal said. She is preparing for a year in a post-high school program, and will be turning 18 in two weeks. “So, as terrifying as this change is now, I feel like I’m going to grow so much. I just have to wait. I’ll go through the struggle, but it’s okay.”
Sigal and Itai were in the same camp session, where the older sister worked and the younger brother was able to spend his last year as a camper. Little sister Liat proudly described choosing to be in a session of camp alone, while continuing to ask, “When will Archie be off of the plane?” The two older teens had to leave camp early to move to Israel.
Both Itai and Liat expressed their excitement to begin school. The family came to look for their new home back in May, with the kids visiting their new school at the time. Itai said that he immediately felt welcomed.
“I went to the school a few months ago because we went to tour. I walked into my classroom just to look around, and this one kid comes out and says hi to me. He’s like the most Israeli-looking kid I could have ever seen,” Itai recalled. “He had this big white kippah on, and was super tan. Like, just so Israeli-looking. Then he walks out with perfect English and he’s says, ‘Hey, um, I moved here two years ago.’ It was extremely relatable and comforting.”
Itai, just like his sisters, expressed concern with learning the language, as their Hebrew “was not so good,” but they understand it will take time.
“I’m just so excited for school,” Liat cheered.
The teens said that they were minorities in their old school, expressing that sometimes it was easy to forget just how unique the American Jewish experience was. Itai specifically added how excited he is to be surrounded by others just like them – living among a community of Jews was a dream for them.
For Veronica Zaragovia, 43, this was years in the making. Born in Colombia, she moved to Miami Beach when she was just one year old and has lived there since. While she loved life in Miami, Tel Aviv was calling her.
“I had started an application in 2012, and then I pursued a career in journalism in the US,” Zaragovia told the Post. “Then, after the October 7 attacks, I knew that my heart was here.”
Zaragovia was intrigued by opportunities to advance her career and be part of the solution to poor coverage of the war in international media, particularly in the US where she lived. She even sees life in Israel as a fresh start and a new opportunity to branch into different fields.
“I don’t really agree with the journalism in the US, like how they cover the war,” she said. “So I wanted to come and see if I could find opportunities in journalism here or in a whole other career.”
After October 7, Zaragovia came on volunteer trips and volunteered with Magen David Adom.
She thanked Nefesh B’Nefesh for its role in assisting her through her aliyah process. “[It] really made it a lot easier because for people like me who have kind of lived in different countries,” she said, in the process of immigrating to a new country for the second time in her life, “the process is a little more difficult.”
Zaragovia, despite getting off of a 12-hour flight and landing in Israel’s early morning hours, looked composed and at peace. “I’m here now, and I’m just really proud and excited to be in my homeland and to see where life takes me here,” she said.
Linda and William Bingham moved to Israel from Fairfield, Iowa, though originally from the Chicago area. They took their four dogs, one of which was their son’s, on their aliyah journey with them.
Their son was on the last Nefesh B’Nefesh charter flight in 2023 before the outbreak of the war, and they will be joining him in Haifa, where he teaches at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology.
“We’ve been looking for places we wanted to feel like home for two, three years now. And my son made this trip, the charter flight, two years ago. The war broke out; I went a little nuts,” Linda said. “Then I came here last year, and we spent about three-and-a-half weeks here. I never felt so welcome and safe and happy and comfortable. Here’s the place for us.”
“We’ve moved a couple of times... from the North Shore of Chicago to Ames, Iowa, where Iowa State University is,” said William. “So that was a pretty dramatic change. So we’re used to changes. And that’s one of the things that we’ve tried to keep our family able [to do] – to adapt to change. Linda feels great here. And [our son] Joey is thriving. And last year, when we came, I felt at home.”
Their dogs, Izzy, Chia, Bella, and Lasagna, were ecstatic to be off the plane, ready to adjust to the new smells and dog parks of Haifa. “Getting them approved to move here was a production. The Agriculture Ministry has very specific rules. And much to my chagrin, they’re actually very important to follow. And I don’t have a problem with it,” Linda added.
Though retired, the couple wants to contribute in their own ways. “He wants to teach. He taught at the university level. And I’d like to do some volunteer work,” Linda said. “I keep kidding him I want to grow up and be a Nefesh B’Nefesh counselor.”
“The world is changing,” Bill said. And I’d rather be in a place where it’s changing for the better.”