Israel has always been a country of immigrants, olim who arrived from around the world determined to build a new life in their ancestral homeland.
In the state’s earliest years, aliyah was essential to strengthening the population and building the country we know today. Over the decades, waves of immigrants arrived from different countries, each bringing their own skills, experiences, and aspirations, and each confronting the challenges of becoming Israeli.
One of the most significant waves, from the former Soviet Union, transformed not only Israeli society but its entire political system, ultimately giving rise to parties specifically focused on representing Russian-speaking Israelis, most notably Yisrael Beytenu.
Yet few new political movements centered on aliyah have emerged since then, and this is even more striking when it comes to English-speaking immigrants, who today number 250,000-300,000. Despite their significant contribution to Israeli society, Israel’s political establishment has largely ignored aliyah from the English-speaking community as the national priority it deserves to be.
That is a missed opportunity for the entire nation.
Representing English-speaking immigrants
Anglophone olim have already demonstrated the unique value they bring to Israel. When the BBC or CNN needs an Israeli commentator to defend the country’s politics, security, or society, an English-speaking Israeli is often among the voices they turn to. They have served as ambassadors, diplomats, government advisers, lawyers, entrepreneurs, and policy experts. They understand Israel – and they understand the world in which Israel must operate.
So why aren’t they better represented in government itself?
Large political parties rarely reserve realistic positions on their electoral lists for immigrants. When they do, such positions are often symbolic rather than genuinely competitive. The Knesset Aliyah and Integration Committee is too often treated as a consolation prize rather than a strategic national priority.
Meanwhile, much of the work of supporting aliyah and absorption has effectively been outsourced to private organizations. Olim are left to navigate a maze of government bureaucracy – from professional licensing and credential recognition to driving requirements and accessing basic services. New immigrants can spend months moving from ministry to ministry simply to establish the foundations of their new lives.
And sometimes the obstacles begin long before they arrive. Jewish families can wait years to receive approval to make aliyah.
Statistics on immigration
In Israeli society, we regularly discuss the Israelis who choose to leave the country. Perhaps it is time we pay far more attention to those who are instead choosing to come.
In 2025, Nefesh B’Nefesh recorded more than 4,000 new immigrants from North America. Since 2023, approximately 12,000 North American olim have made aliyah, and the number continues to grow.
Over the past decade, total annual aliyah has averaged approximately 32,000, despite fluctuations caused by war and other external factors.
These olim arrive with determination and a desire to contribute. They build businesses, strengthen our economy, serve in the IDF, fill critical professional needs, and raise children who will grow up as Israelis. They are not simply people whom Israel needs to absorb. They are people Israel should actively recruit.
As Israel becomes a global leader in technology, AI, and cyber, the need for highly skilled talent will only grow. Olim bring professional expertise, international experience, languages, networks, and connections to global markets. Israel needs doctors, teachers, programmers, engineers, entrepreneurs, and countless other professionals – and olim are ready to contribute.
The government needs to start viewing English-speaking immigrants not as an absorption challenge, but as the talent acquisition strategy that Israel needs.
That requires a fundamentally different approach: active engagement in Diaspora communities before aliyah; educational programs that prepare children for Israeli schools; streamlined and digitized government processes; faster recognition of professional qualifications; stronger educational support for the children of olim once they arrive; and notably, representatives in the Knesset who have their backs, both as individuals and as a community.
As the world becomes increasingly dangerous for Jews, the potential for aliyah is greater than ever. But potential will become reality only if Israel demonstrates that it is ready to welcome those who choose it.
People of Israel (Amcha Israel) is committed to giving those olim a voice. Our movement brings together immigrants from different countries and backgrounds, with representatives who collectively speak at least five languages. We understand what it means to leave behind family, friends, careers, and communities – and to choose Israel not simply as a destination, but as home.
Olim are not a burden on Israel. They are an investment in Israel’s future.
It is time for the government to recognize the talent standing at our door – and open it wider.
Yoseph Haddad is an Israeli-Arab public diplomacy activist and the founder and former CEO of Together – Vouch for Each Other, an organization dedicated to strengthening the integration of Arab Israelis into Israeli society. In 2026, Haddad announced his candidacy as No. 2 on the People of Israel list, led by Ofer Winter, and is slated to serve as public diplomacy minister.
Fleur Hassan-Nahoum is an Israeli politician, diplomat, and former Jerusalem city council member and deputy mayor (2016-2024). She currently serves as Israel’s special envoy for trade and innovation at the Foreign Ministry. In 2026, Hassan-Nahoum announced her candidacy for the 26th Knesset as part of the People of Israel list.