Immigration files surge in Europe, 'Israel wants olim,' aliyah director-general tells ‘Post’

Israel ended 2024 with 32,000 new olim, and interest has spiked in France, North America, and Britain, he explained.

Kahana said that opening an aliyah file is a reliable signal of intent since it involves fees and bureaucracy. “Not everyone who opens a file makes aliyah, but most eventually do,” he said.

Kahana, who has been in the role for nearly three years, described a structural shift inside the ministry. “We are opening a new division and transferring the ministry from a welfare-based ministry to a growth engine for the Israeli economy,” he said. “We see ourselves as part of the economic strategy of the state.”

That means targeted recruitment for Israel’s labor market. “We are bringing physicians with the Health Ministry and Nefesh B’Nefesh. We are now bringing engineers as well, including railway, nuclear, and defense-industry backgrounds,” he said. “In the 1990s, aliyah built Israeli society and the economy. Many of those specialists are now retiring. If you are a railway engineer, please call the aliyah hotline.”

The ministry wants the private sector fully engaged. “We want companies to call olim and say, ‘I am looking for you, I have this job opportunity,’” Kahana said. “We are creating new benefits for professions Israel needs, especially medical and high-tech.”

Beyond the existing 10-year exemption on foreign income for new immigrants, Kahana said the ministry is coordinating with the Tax Authority on new legislation to encourage relocation of businesses. “Today, if your business remains abroad, you can be tax-free for ten years on that foreign income,” he said. “We are working on a big new act so that if you bring your business to Israel, you will also get tax benefits for the business here, not only if it stays abroad.”

Some obstacles remain outside Jerusalem’s control. “US citizens who are business owners can run into double Social Security issues,” Kahana acknowledged. “There was a draft law discussed in the Knesset, but most of this is on the American side.”

Kahana said the current wave is rooted in security, identity, and economics. “It is not only antisemitism. Young families want to be with Israel and be part of the next chapter,” he said. “We even met families who decided to move on the day Israel struck Iran. There are moments when the numbers really jump.”

The UK is a case in point. “Before October 7, we often heard, ‘We are British first,’” he said. “Afterward, leaders told me they now understand the strategic connection with Israel in a deeper way. We doubled UK aliyah in 2024 and expect close to 1,000 this year.”

In New York, inquiries have risen since the summer. “We see the numbers increasing, and of course, we are watching November closely,” he said. “aliyah is one of the options Jewish communities are considering.”

So, who is coming on aliyah now? “Since October 7, the profile has shifted to singles, young adults, and young families,” Kahana said. “Walk in Tel Aviv and you mainly hear English, French, or Russian. August was the highest month for new arrivals in 20 years.”

He believes timing matters for families. “If your child is about to enter first grade, that is the time,” he said. “It is much more difficult later. It will not be easy, but your children will say thank you.”

The ministry has deployed field teams to convert interest into arrivals. “We created a global aliyah service team that spends one week every month in places like England, France, and South Africa,” Kahana said. “They help with files, schools, communities, and jobs.”

He highlighted recent professional licensing reforms. “More professionals can now work from the day they land,” he said. “In the past, talented olim had jobs that were not appropriate for their skills. We want day-one employability.”

Kahana praised long-time partners. “In North America, Nefesh B’Nefesh has done a very good job making the process smoother,” he said. “We are building on that model in other regions.”

Other governments are courting Israelis, Kahana warned. “The UK is addressing Israeli physicians,” he said. “In the past, encouraging immigration was seen as not diplomatic. Today, it is part of diplomacy. Countries understand that immigration, or aliyah in our case, is an investment that drives national growth.”

Kahana was candid about the challenges. “Israelis are very good at encouraging; we are less good at absorbing,” he said. “Our job is not to accept that. We are telling Israelis that integration is a national mission.”

He said social acceptance weighs heavily on newcomers. “A man told me at Ben-Gurion he was not afraid of the war, he was afraid of how his children would be accepted at school,” Kahana recalled. “We need to help, even with the small things. It will not be easy, but we see families happy with their decision, first in their own communities and then in Israeli ones.”

Many Diaspora Jews are buying homes in Israel as a safe harbor, he added. “People say, maybe I will not move everything now, but I want my children to have the opportunity to build their lives in Israel,” he said. “Real estate purchases are tremendous.”

How is someone to begin their aliyah process? Kahana’s advice is straightforward. “Jump into the pool, we will warm the water,” he said with a smile. “Contact the aliyah and Integration Ministry global division or the Jewish Agency, open your aliyah file, and we will accompany you step by step until you are ready to make the move.”

His closing message was very simple. “Israel wants you, and Israel needs you,” Kahana said. “After a week when we finally felt we could hug one another and breathe, now is the time to bring the Jewish people into the next chapter.”