Israel is expecting to receive a wave of new olim (immigrants), Aliyah and Integration Minister (RZP) Ofir Sofer said during a special session of the Knesset’s Aliyah and Immigration Committee on Monday.
This special event was held to mark the upcoming national Aliyah Day.
The meeting was also focused on the halt in Ethiopian aliyah, a matter several MKs called deeply troubling.
Lone soldiers from various countries who were also in attendance spoke about their decision to come to Israel and serve in the IDF.
Sofer said that Israel was currently preparing for “a large postwar wave of aliyah,” adding that the ministry was working with philanthropic organizations to help absorb the expected arrivals.
He noted that aliyah continued throughout the two-year war that began after the October 7 Hamas attacks in 2023.
'Despite the war, we have seen a blessed aliyah'
“Despite the war, we have seen a blessed aliyah to Israel precisely during this difficult period,” Sofer said.
“Many Jews around the world expressed solidarity and stood with Israel in its hour of need. These expressions of solidarity from the Diaspora gave us tremendous support,” he continued.
“Thousands of immigrants arrived despite the war and despite the front that opened against Iran. Since taking office, we have laid extensive foundations to encourage aliyah and improve integration. The sense of unity that radiates from Israel to the world is the greatest catalyst for aliyah,” Sofer said.
Committee chairperson MK Gilad Kariv (the Democrats) spoke on several issues that “require continued dialogue and advancement.”
He said that the country has witnessed a halt in aliyah from Ethiopia, calling it “a disgrace for the State of Israel.”
“We see a reduction in aliyah encouragement in Eastern European countries, alongside an increase in Western countries. The question of how to encourage aliyah across the Diaspora is a major concern for the committee,” Kariv said.
“Hebrew-language acquisition among new olim is a key issue. We must act more vigorously to bring back Israelis who chose to leave the country,” he continued.
Kariv added that the committee will continue to address the aliyah of Ethiopian Jews “with the intention of renewing this important aliyah to Israel as quickly as possible.”
Attorney Avichai Kahana, the director-general of the Aliyah and Integration Ministry, emphasized the importance of investing in the ministry before the finalization of the 2026 state budget.
“Economic research shows that every shekel invested in bringing and absorbing immigrants yields a fivefold return within a few years,” he said.
“Since the start of the war, 53,680 new olim have arrived, most from Russia, despite a slight decline from that country,” Kahana noted.
“The real challenge is not only bringing immigrants, but successfully absorbing them,” he added, noting that Hebrew-language learning remains a significant obstacle and is expected to be prioritized in the new budget. “At the end of 2025, we completed the strategic plan we established upon entering office.”
During the meeting, the IDF Manpower Directorate also presented updated data on lone olim soldiers.
According to the figures, 3,614 lone immigrant soldiers currently serve in the IDF.
Among them, 30% arrived from the United States, 18% from Russia, 12% from France, and 7% from Ukraine. Six thousand eight hundred fifty lone reserve soldiers took part in the Israel-Hamas War. Approximately 100 olim soldiers were killed in battle, and many others were wounded.