Nefesh B'Nefesh
נפש בנפש‎
AbbreviationNBN
FormationAugust 2001 (2001-08)
Founders
  • Tony Gelbart
  • Yehoshua Fass
TypeNonprofit organization
22-3804152
Legal status501(c)(3)
FocusAliyah (Jewish immigration to Israel)
HeadquartersJerusalem, Israel
Location
Coordinates31°47′23″N 35°11′12″E / 31.78972°N 35.18667°E / 31.78972; 35.18667
ServicesEmployment, logistical and financial assistance
Chairman
Tony Gelbart
Executive director
Yehoshua Fass
Vice-chairman
Erez Halfon
Revenue (2014)
US$18,961,977[1]
Expenses (2014)US$18,361,585[1]
Websitewww.nbn.org.il

Nefesh B'Nefesh (Hebrew: נפש בנפש, lit. 'Soul to soul'), or Jewish Souls United, a nonprofit organization, promotes, encourages and facilitates aliyah (Jewish immigration to Israel) from the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.[2] The organization aims to remove or minimize the financial, professional, logistical, and social obstacles that potential olim (Jewish immigrants) face. Nefesh B'Nefesh works in close cooperation with the Jewish Agency for Israel, the Government of Israel and major Jewish organizations across various denominations, and assists people of all ages in the pre- and post-aliyah process, offering resources such as financial aid, employment guidance and networking, assistance navigating the Israeli system, social guidance and counseling. Since 2002 Nefesh B'Nefesh has brought over 60,000 olim to Israel.[3] In 2011 Nefesh B'Nefesh co-founder Yehoshua Fass received the Moskowitz Prize for Zionism on behalf of the organization.[4]

History

Nefesh B'Nefesh was originally conceived by Rabbi Yehoshua Fass after a family member was killed in a terrorist attack in Israel on 28 March 2001.[5] Realizing that there were many people who wanted to immigrate to Israel but were concerned about certain obstacles, Rabbi Fass and Florida businessman and philanthropist Tony Gelbart decided to create an organization which would try to make it easier for American Jews to make aliyah.[6]

In the summer of 2002, Nefesh B'Nefesh organized its first chartered aliyah flight.[7] In November 2005, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon authorized government funding for Nefesh B'Nefesh on a trial basis.[8] In May 2006, in response to numerous requests from British Jews interested in aliyah, services were expanded to also include the UK.[8] In December 2006, Nefesh B'Nefesh brought its 10,000th oleh.[9]

In January 2008, Nefesh B'Nefesh, in conjunction with Legacy Heritage Fund, announced provision of significant fellowship grants for physicians making aliyah in order to help counteract a projected shortage of physicians in Israel.[10][11] In March 2008, with the help of Nefesh B'Nefesh, a Knesset "Lobby for the Encouragement for Aliya from the West" was established. The lobby aims to raise awareness of the unique needs of Western olim and further remove obstacles that they may face during the initial stages of their acclimation.[12]

In August 2008, the Jewish Agency for Israel and Nefesh B'Nefesh created a "one-stop shop" designed to streamline the aliyah process and make it easier for olim.[13] Under the new "collaborative venture" Nefesh B'Nefesh is the primary source responsible for marketing and promoting the concept of aliyah to Jews in North America. The Jewish Agency is responsible for the aliyah eligibility process with the appropriate authorities in Israel. In September 2008, the Israeli government officially recognized Nefesh B'Nefesh in a decision designed to enhance aliyah from Western countries.[14]

In December 2008, Nefesh B'Nefesh, in cooperation with the Israeli government and the Jewish Agency, and with the support of the Russell Berrie Foundation, launched the "Go North" initiative. The initiative presents prospective immigrants with an unprecedented benefits package to help new olim move to Northern Israel.[15] In 2009, oil tycoon Guma Aguiar donated $8 million to the organization.[16] In September 2009, Erez Halfon became Vice Chairman of Nefesh B'Nefesh. Prior to joining the organization, he served as Director General of the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption from 2006 to 2008.[17]

In February 2010, the Office of the Prime Minister, Ministry of Immigrant Absorption and Ministry for the Development of the Negev and Galilee agreed to intensify their partnerships with Nefesh B'Nefesh.[18] In September 2013, Nefesh B'Nefesh's Bonei Zion Prize was established, "in order to formally recognize the achievements of outstanding Anglo olim and their contribution to the State of Israel." A prize is awarded in each of the following categories: Community & non-profit, education, Israel advocacy, science & medicine, young leadership, and culture, art & sports.[19]

Funding

In 2021, Nefesh B'Nefesh received more than 10 million shekels in grants from the Israeli Ministry of Aliyah and Integration.[20]

Services

Nefesh B'Nefesh charter flight, 2007

Since 2019, Nefesh B'Nefesh holds an annual “MedEx” event in the United States, at which medical professionals, who are in the process of making Aliyah, can meet representatives from the Israeli Ministry of Health licensing division, the Israel Medical Association (IMA), Israel's National Health Funds (Kupot Holim), and Israeli hospitals.[21] As of 2023, more than 3800 medical professionals from various specialties have made Aliyah through Nefesh B'Nefesh.[22]

In 2021, Nefesh B'Nefesh created UpGrade, an employment program offering career training courses for olim.[23]

Nefesh B'Nefesh provides assistance with Israeli bureaucratic procedures and helps olim overcome cultural gaps. The Government Advocacy Department works with governmental and institutional bodies, such as the Ministries of Interior and Immigrant Absorption. The department provides information for olim, such as guides for dealing with government offices and agencies, and information regarding benefits.[24]

Nefesh B'Nefesh runs several special programs such as Soldier aliyah Fund and Physician aliyah Program.[25] Nefesh B'Nefesh provides chartered and group aliyah flights with El Al Airlines, Israel's official airline.[26] In 2019, the organization launched a 'MedEx' track for prospective immigrants to help smooth the process for medical professionals who were moving to Israel.[27]

Go Beyond-North program

The Go Beyond-North program[28] aims to encourage Jews from North America and the UK to immigrate directly to the northern part of Israel, including the following regions: Galilee, Golan Heights, Jezreel Valley and Upper Jordan Valley.[29] The city of Haifa and its neighboring suburbs (Krayot) are not part of the program.[15] The program dealt with overcoming the concerns that the long distance from the country's center area and lack of development might arouse absorption issues. By ongoing employment assistance, tailor-fitted social programming and a personal guidance system by the local Go Beyond-North staff the transition chances are higher.[30] Applications for the program are reviewed on a case-by-case basis.[31]

Due to the joint venture of the Jewish Agency for Israel and Nefesh B'Nefesh, an oleh can take advantage of a "one-stop shop" offering both aliyah approval and the Go Beyond-North application services.[32]

The budget for the initiative stands on the total sum of $10 million US dollars. A major source of the budget is The Russell Berrie Foundation donation, with additional funding from the Government of Israel and the Jewish National Fund.[30][33]

In 2013, Nefesh B'Nefesh, KKL and JNF-USA created "Go South," incentivizing olim moving to southern Israel.[34]

The Ori program assists Lone National Service Volunteer olim with their needs during their year of service. In its first year, 2019, Ori helped 150 girls from all over the world, who completed their national service in medical institutions, educational facilities, and government organizations.[35]

Criticism

In late 2012, the Haaretz newspaper published an investigation that made claims against Nefesh B'Nefesh alleging that the organization has not significantly increased aliyah since its founding, that it has double-billed the government for olim who arrived with the assistance of other organizations, and that its employee salaries were bloated.[36] Nefesh B'Nefesh denied Haaretz's accusations and maintained that government audited figures showed a 140% increase of aliyah in the ten years of the organization's operation, and that another five-year comprehensive government audit found no irregularities or duplication in Nefesh B'Nefesh's invoicing protocol. Nefesh B'Nefesh also stated that its salaries were well within comparative norms and counter claimed that the Haaretz article was politically motivated.[37]

In 2014, writing for The Times of Israel, Haviv Rettig Gur claimed the recent raise in aliyah had "nothing to do with the organization's laudable work which eased the aliya process for immigrants' but did nothing to increase their numbers."[38] Gur criticized Nefesh B'Nefesh for taking credit for an increase in aliyah that was already on the rebound. He backed up his claim with official statistics that showed American aliyah was just as high in the mid 1990s and that the post year 2000 peak simply "marked an American aliya that had recovered from the terrorism-driven dip of the previous decade."[38]

Partners

Nefesh B'Nefesh works in partnership with the following organizations:[39]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Nefesh B'Nefesh". GuideStar. Archived from the original on 24 April 2016. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
  2. ↑ "NBN Mission Statement". Nefesh B'Nefesh. Archived from the original on 10 November 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  3. ↑ "With music and shofar blasts, Israel welcomes olim from North America". The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on 14 August 2019. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  4. ↑ Benari, Elad (31 May 2011). "Moskowitz Zionism Prizes Awarded". Arutz Sheva. Archived from the original on 3 April 2016. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  5. ↑ Karp, Miriam. "Moving Up". Jewish Holiday Online. Archived from the original on 30 November 2007. Retrieved 26 November 2012.
  6. ↑ "An Interview with Rabbi Yehoshua Fass". Kol Hamevaser. Archived from the original on 15 October 2017. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  7. ↑ Garber, Stephanie (10 July 2003). "Nefesh B'Nefesh doubles aliyah". Cleveland Jewish News. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  8. 1 2 "Highlights of Jewish News: 5766 September 2005". JTA. 20 March 2015. Archived from the original on 15 October 2017. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  9. ↑ "Nefesh B'Nefesh Welcomes its 10,000th Oleh!". Shabbat Shalom. Orthodox Union. 17 January 2007. Archived from the original on 26 August 2022. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  10. ↑ Halevy, Jonathan (15 February 2008). "Medical alert: Israeli health care is flourishing". J Weekly. Archived from the original on 19 February 2010. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  11. ↑ "NEFESH B'NEFESH AND LEGACY HERITAGE FUND LAUNCH PHYSICIAN ALIYAH CAMPAIGN". Israel Jewish News. 14 January 2008. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  12. ↑ "Knesset Lobby For Aliyah From the West Launched". Arutz Sheva. 12 March 2008. Archived from the original on 17 October 2015. Retrieved 6 September 2015.
  13. ↑ Rettig, Haviv (1 September 2008). "US aliya ceded to Nefesh B'Nefesh". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  14. ↑ Pfeffer, Anshel (31 August 2008). "Nefesh B'Nefesh Takes Over North America Aliyah Operations". Haaretz. Archived from the original on 22 April 2016. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  15. 1 2 Eichner, Itamar (15 December 2008). "Nefesh B'Nefesh launches 'Go North' campaign". Ynetnews. Archived from the original on 24 April 2016. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  16. ↑ "Guma Aguiar Left Tefillin on Ghost Yacht". The Forward. 4 September 2012. Archived from the original on 25 January 2013. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  17. ↑ "Erez Halfon Joins Nefesh B'Nefesh". The Yeshiva World. 21 July 2009. Archived from the original on 26 July 2015. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  18. ↑ "Shalom: Thousands of olim settled in Negev and Galilee". The Jerusalem Post. 27 January 2011. Archived from the original on 12 July 2015. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  19. ↑ "Bonei Zion Prize". Nefesh B'Nefesh. 4 January 2018. Archived from the original on 28 March 2018. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  20. ↑ Judy Maltz: “More U.S. Jews Moved to West Bank Settlements in 2021 Than Any Other Year in Past Decade”. Haaretz, 11 August 2022.
  21. ↑ Kempinski, Yoni (28 March 2022). "Nefesh B'Nefesh's MedEx:When Zionism meets medicine". Israel National News.
  22. ↑ Holt, Faygie (31 March 2022). "Nefesh B'Nefesh 'MedEx' info session eases path for medical professionals to make 'aliyah'". Jewish News Syndicate.
  23. ↑ Rosenbaum, Alan (9 June 2021). "Nefesh B'Nefesh, Salesclass retrain olim for hi-tech sales jobs". The Jerusalem Post.
  24. ↑ "Guide for the New Immigrant" (PDF). Ministry of Immigrant Absorption. 2016. Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 April 2016. Retrieved 10 April 2016.
  25. ↑ "IDF sets up lone soldiers department". The Jerusalem Post. 23 January 2011. Archived from the original on 18 June 2015. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  26. ↑ "Aliyah Flight: Options & Schedule". Nefesh B'Nefesh. 26 July 2021. Archived from the original on 12 September 2015. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  27. ↑ "Israel eases immigration process for medical professionals". AZ Jewish Post. Archived from the original on 1 September 2019. Retrieved 1 September 2019.
  28. ↑ "'Go Beyond' push launched by Nefesh B'Nefesh". The Jewish Star. 8 November 2017. Archived from the original on 8 March 2019. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  29. ↑ "Go North". Nefesh B'Nefesh. Archived from the original on 26 November 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2012.
  30. 1 2 "Numbers Up for Nefesh B'Nefesh's 'Go North' Program". Haaretz. 22 October 2010. Archived from the original on 8 March 2012. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  31. ↑ NJJN, Special to. "Nefesh B'Nefesh and Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael (KKL) announces joint initiative, "Go Beyond"". njjewishnews.timesofisrael.com. Archived from the original on 8 March 2019. Retrieved 7 March 2019.
  32. ↑ "Jewish Agency Enters Strategic Partnership With Nefesh B'Nefesh". Haaretz. 11 June 2004. Archived from the original on 7 April 2016. Retrieved 7 September 2015.
  33. ↑ "Nefesh B'Nefesh". The Russell Berrie Foundation. Archived from the original on 2 April 2016. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
  34. ↑ Linde, Steve (7 August 2016). "Healing the South:A road less traveled for new immigrants to Israel". The Jerusalem Post.
  35. ↑ Rosenbaum, Alan (16 May 2019). "Nefesh B'Nefesh launches 'Ori' to assist Lone National Service Volunteers". The Jerusalem Post.
  36. ↑ Levinson, Chaim; Blau, Uri; Twersky, Mordechai I. (20 October 2012). "Nefesh B'Nefesh an ineffective monopoly with overpaid executives, say critics". Haaretz. Archived from the original on 8 November 2012. Retrieved 9 November 2012.
  37. ↑ "Nefesh B'Nefesh's response to the recent Haaretz articles on October 20, 2012". Press Releases. Nefesh B'Nefesh. Archived from the original on 25 November 2012. Retrieved 10 November 2012.
  38. 1 2 Gur, Haviv Rettig (9 September 2014). "The end of aliya?". Times Of Israel. Archived from the original on 13 September 2014. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
  39. ↑ "Our Partners". Nefesh B'Nefesh. Archived from the original on 8 April 2016. Retrieved 10 April 2016.

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