Every time demography experts predict the end of Zionism, a new wave of aliyah arrives to prove them wrong.
For decades, we’ve been warned about a shrinking Jewish majority, negative migration, and the supposed transformation of Israel into a bi-national state – yet reality tells a different story.
Jewish birth rates are rising, and waves of immigration continue to flow. That force keeps this nation alive, youthful, and ever-growing.
You cannot understand the State of Israel without understanding aliyah.
It was aliyah that doubled Israel’s population in the early years after its founding, that brought a million immigrants from the former Soviet Union in the 1990s, and that continues to shape Israeli society today – from France, the US, Ukraine, South America, and dozens of other countries.
Yet behind those impressive numbers lies a daily story of quiet courage. Every family that leaves behind its familiar home, language, and job to build a new life here embodies the Zionist dream.
We, the native-born Israelis, were born into this dream; they chose it – consciously – the day they decided to come to Israel and turn that dream into reality. I myself am the son of two Holocaust survivors who made aliyah, and their story accompanies me every time I meet new immigrants.
I write these lines as the head of the Efrat Local Council, a town whose DNA is deeply intertwined with aliyah.
From the very beginning, when its founder, Moshe “Moshko” Moskovitz, invited Rabbi Shlomo Riskin to make aliyah with his community, it was clear that Efrat would be built on the partnership between immigrants and native Israelis.
Even today, about a third of Efrat’s residents were born outside Israel – a figure unmatched anywhere else in the country.
What’s the secret of success? It’s not just the beautiful scenery or the spacious homes. It’s the sense of community.
It’s the sound of English heard in the streets, the municipality translating every public notice into two languages, the two active Hebrew ulpans, and the simple fact that every new immigrant can find someone here who truly understands their challenges.
Still, absorption is never easy. Immigrants face a new language, a different culture, employment struggles, and generational gaps – children adapt faster than parents, which can create real tension.
Data shows that the rate of families turning to welfare services among immigrants is higher than average. Yet behind each such challenge stands a family that refused to give up on the dream.
As we have marked Aliyah Day this week, it’s worth reminding ourselves of something simple: aliyah is not a nostalgic story from the past but the very heartbeat of Zionism today. It renews Israeli society, bringing with it spirit, values, and hope.
And I, who was born here, sometimes feel envy toward the new immigrants. They are privileged to fulfill the ancient prayer that we recite three times a day: “May our eyes behold Your return to Zion.”
They are the true ambassadors of Israel’s hope. They remind us what living, breathing Zionism really looks like.
The writer, an IDF Lt. Col. (res..), is the mayor of Efrat.