The women’s aliyah network HER launched its Jerusalem chapter with a massive networking event at the Nefesh B’Nefesh offices, and even the most socially awkward of women (it’s me, hi!) can walk away feeling empowered, excited, and with dozens of new LinkedIn connections.
Founded by Israeli-American Sivan Hadari-Avneri and based in Tel Aviv, HER has spent nearly five years supporting more than 3,000 female olim (immigrants) from over 80 countries through networking events, panels, lectures, and festivals with thousands of attendees. The organization says it has become a “go-to community” for women navigating life after aliyah in Israel.
I’ll admit, when I was invited to this one, I was wary. Having lived in Israel for over a decade, I can hardly call myself an olah, and I feared that these women would feel I was intruding on their space. But truly, they embraced me, invited me to join conversations, and made me feel so welcome in this room filled with females at all life stages – from entrepreneurs to girls just starting out to one very business savvy three-month-old.
At the event, Hadari-Avneri, along with co-founder and community manager Rebekah Brown, invited guests to join HER’s WhatsApp community, which has multiple channels available for women searching for apartments, support groups, meetups, and more.
“After everything we’ve been through as a country in the past two years… olim, and women who made aliyah specifically, are looking for real connections and the safety of an inclusive, supportive network, now more than ever,” Hadari-Avneri said.
“HER Jerusalem is about having a true sense of community in a new country where most olot [new female immigrants] are still learning Hebrew, getting acclimated to a new culture, and need that extra support from other women who are going through the same thing as us. HER helps olot find jobs, their next apartment, recommendations for doctors, meet new friends, and so much more. It’s all about lifting women up, together.”
Dedicated support services for women immigrants in Jerusalem
With a record number of new immigrants arriving – over 53,000 since October 2023 according to the Aliyah and Integration Ministry – the need for dedicated support services has intensified.
But while living in Jerusalem is a wildly different experience than living in Tel Aviv (we sacrifice sand beaches for cobblestone, but home is home), one thing is true no matter where you choose to live: We need community. That is why this new branch of HER matters, to allow women with shared values – and a shared home – to connect.
“The women here are deeply connected to spirituality and their foundational Jewish roots… Our community is beautifully diverse: professionals, soulful creatives, and family-oriented women alike,” Brown said.
The truth is, living in Jerusalem for a year, I’ve never felt comfortable just introducing myself to people. At HER, we were seated at random tables and given talking points, which led to laughing, discovering shared experiences, and exchanging numbers and promising to have coffee together.
Over the course of the evening, I learned just how much fun talking to new people can be – and that even though I very much love my job at The Jerusalem Post and am not looking to leave (hey, boss), networking is more than just sending cold messages through LinkedIn. It’s as easy as just... having a conversation with someone new.
One Jerusalem-based new olah, Jasmine Silver, who moved from Ottawa several weeks ago, said: “HER gave me a sense of home when everything else felt new… Seeing it come to Jerusalem feels like we’re bringing that warmth and support to every woman who’s starting over – just like I did.”
By launching a Jerusalem chapter, HER demonstrates how grassroots, women-focused networks are adapting to the evolving needs of immigrant communities in Israel. The timing, amid heightened national recovery efforts and a record aliyah wave, gives added urgency to efforts that emphasize connection, belonging, and support in a new (or old!) home.