Nefesh B’Nefesh expands their horizons

Issue of Dec. 19, 2008 / 22 Kislev 5769

Though most American olim typically settle in Israel’s Anglo communities such as Beit Shemesh and Raanana, Nefesh B’Nefesh recently launched a new aliyah project to encourage immigrants to move to Israel’s Northern region.

“Go North” is funded by the Russell Berrie Foundation, in partnership with Israeli philanthropists and the Israeli government, who have pledged $10 million toward their goal of bringing 1,000 olim to Northern Israel in the next few years.

“We are looking to build up the North and looking at the obstacles that traditionally stand in the way of olim who want to move there,” said Tzvi Richter, NBN’s director of Guidance and Community Resources. “It’s more difficult to live there because there are greater challenges to overcome, such as transportation issues and acclimating to a much more Hebrew speaking society.”

The Go North initiative plans to address these issues by providing financial subsidies to families moving there, to help the cover the costs of purchasing a car, which is essential when living in the North. Other provisions will include employment assistance and ensuring that there is a nearby ulpan program for olim to attend, as well as the appropriate transportation to get there.

NBN employees will also educate the local schools, “many of whom are not accustomed to having new immigrants in their system,” Richter explained. “NBN will interface with them to make sure that they are meeting the needs of the olim.”

Specific areas in the North which NBN is promoting as venues for aliyah include the Misgav region, Ma’alot, Kamiel, Yonatan, Katzrin, Chispin and Afula, the southernmost community.

“Nefesh B’Nefesh is honored to be partnering with the Russell Berrie Foundation on this essential program which will infuse a vibrancy and energy into the North –– socially, demographically and economically,” said Rabbi Yehoshua Fass, NBN’s co-founder and executive director. “We are excited to be part of the first concerted effort in Israel’s history to bring Anglo olim to the North and thereby build a stronger Israel.”

NBN is employing a two-track approach for North-bound olim. The first track is the gar’in (seed) model, wherein several neighboring communities form a gar’in, and NBN coordinates the logistics for a number of families to move there together.

“In each area, we have a staff member living there, who is able to give real personal accompaniment to families there and provide on-site educational and social programming,” Richter explained.

The second track will facilitate an individual family’s move to the North, but without the presence of a nearby NBN staffer helping out from a specific community comprised of fellow olim. The same financial grants, regional programming and educational assistance will be available to them, Richter stressed, as will any other services provided by NBN.

The inspiration to start the Go North program came partly from olim expressing their desire to move to those regions, and also from NBN’s goal to help populate more communities in Israel.

“We heard from olim that they wanted to live there, if only it were a more hospitable place for them,” Richter said. “We were also hearing about a national mission to develop the North and we were interested in what we could accomplish with that.”

Currently, close to 100 olim move to the North each year, a number that will likely increase with the advent of the Go North initiative, which has already piqued the interest of potential olim.

“We have had many people expressing interest in the program, from here and from outside the United States as well, and from families with a wide range of demographics across the religious spectrum,” Richter told The Jewish Star. “We have been in regular contact with northern olim and we’ve listened to them and have tried to design the program according to the challenges they have faced.

Applications for the Go North program will be available starting Jan, 1, 2009. For more information, visit the Nefesh B’Nefesh web site at www.nbn.org.il.