From Aliyah to integration: Nefesh B’Nefesh helps Olim thrive in Israeli society
Unable to understand an electric bill? Struggling to convert a driver’s license? No problem! Nefesh B’Nefesh (NBN) can help
Making Aliyah is a journey that doesn’t simply end upon arriving in Israel. For many, the journey is ongoing as they learn to navigate Israeli society, speak Hebrew, pay their bills, and at present experience the difficulties of war.
But luckily, there are resources available to help Olim throughout their acclimation, no matter how long ago they chose to make Israel their home.
“Aliyah isn’t just about getting to the airport,” says Marc Rosenberg, VP of Diaspora Partnerships at Nefesh B’Nefesh. “It’s about being here and integrating within the community.”
As the number of Olim grows, Nefesh B’Nefesh, in close cooperation with Israel’s Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, The Jewish Agency for Israel, Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael and JNF-USA, has been pivoting its focus to helping Olim engage with Israeli society and overcome many of the obstacles that may have been overwhelming in the past.
Unable to understand an electric bill? Struggling to convert a driver’s license? No problem! Nefesh B’Nefesh (NBN) can help. Not only that, many of the organization’s programs are structured to help Olim learn how to solve these challenges on their own.
One of NBN’s most popular programs is Café Oleh, a weekly online Hebrew course to help Olim “survive and thrive” in Israel. The course is not like typical or government-supplemented courses, rather it is structured around practicality. Each lesson is themed around current events or other important cultural topics to provide Olim with timely vocabulary that they can use in daily life. For example, before Passover there was a course on “Cleaning Products & Local Ads (The Pesach Primer)” to help Olim with spring cleaning. For Shavuot, the class focused on dairy products and Israeli food security. Other courses cover how to navigate automated phone menus and local Israeli customer services or why not to use Google Translate.
Jay Rosen, who made Aliyah from Washington, D.C., in 2006, founded Café Oleh in 2017. Participants say his passion for Hebrew is contagious.
“There is something about the way Jay covers things that helps people connect,” says Sarah Kantor, Head of Marketing and Events at NBN. “People are inspired to put in the work, follow up, and gain the confidence they need to engage in their day-to-day.”
The free course takes place on Zoom at 8:00 PM Israel time so that Olim in Israel as well as Hebrew enthusiasts around the world can join. Kantor says more than 1,000 people have registered for the course and usually 300-400 people attend each Zoom. Participants who want to get further practice join again on Wednesdays and are assigned to breakout rooms where they can use their new vocabulary with other participants.
While learning Hebrew is significant for Olim, Israeli bureaucracy is still one of the biggest challenges. Paying bills, completing forms, scheduling appointments, and understanding government services can be daunting. To help Olim, NBN created Translation Tuesdays, an office hours-like program where Olim can walk into the NBN campus and get one-on-one assistance for any logistical task. The program is as empowering as its motto: Don’t let Hebrew get in the way, get your tasks done today!
Any oleh, no matter how long they have been in Israel, can sign up for one of the eight weekly Translation Tuesday slots. According to NBN, some of the most popular requests are for help with Bituach Leumi paperwork, understanding bills or websites, making medical appointments or phone calls, or understanding bank statements. Occasionally they get more eclectic requests like how to set up a dating profile in Hebrew.
The help is provided by NBN staff, as well as many volunteers. Rosenberg says that NBN sometimes invites other professionals such as bank employees, municipality staff, or utility experts to provide further expertise. “This really increases people’s comfort and reduces frustration,” he says.
Today, Olim are facing a further challenge due to the current war with Hamas. Not only are Olim and Lone Soldiers feeling unprecedented trauma and stress, but their families abroad are also afraid and struggling to support their Israeli loved ones.
In response, NBN connected with mental health professionals to provide therapeutic resources to Lone Soldiers and their families abroad via one-on-one therapy and support groups. Anyone who called their hotline or filled out their form was paired with a mental health professional within 24 hours. Calls were conducted in five different languages including Hebrew, English, Spanish, French, and Russian, giving Olim a chance to get mental support in the language they are most comfortable in.
“It has been a very traumatic experience on many levels,” Rosenberg says. This program has focused on building resilience and giving people information that can help them cope. For example, for many families abroad with Lone Soldiers in the IDF, a lack of general information about army service can cause extreme anxiety for worried parents. NBN focused on broadcasting webinars and recordings, together with the IDF, to provide families with information about the situation.
Rosenberg noted that at the start of the war, many parents of Lone Soldiers called to express their worries about their children. “While we couldn’t go check on their children in the army, we could help them deal with their fears and help them understand the complexity of what is going on,” Rosenberg says.
Since the beginning of this program, hundreds of Lone Soldiers and over 100 of their parents received assistance.
Along with these programs, NBN is also uniquely able to provide many other types of support. Rosenberg invites all Olim to ask for help with whatever they need, no matter how long they’ve been in Israel. “Speak up,” he says. “We can solve a lot of problems and there are a lot of resources out there, and NBN is there every step of the way.”