Over 75 potential Olim gathered in Lower Manhattan recently at the Museum of Jewish Heritage to hear about the exciting opportunities that await them in Israel’s North, South and Jerusalem.
The event, entitled “Beyond the Start Up Nation,” was hosted by Nefesh B’Nefesh and Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael (KKL), partners who have worked together for years to develop Israel’s North and South through aliyah.
New areas throughout Israel’s periphery are emerging as influential hubs on the international tech scene. Highlighting the latest developments and opportunities from these areas last night were three key players in the hi-tech communities from the North and South, and Jerusalem, including Noa Yaar, director of strategic partnerships for Israel Initiative 2020 (ii2020); Hanan Brand, co-founder of Cornerstone Venture Partners and founder and chairman of Made in Jerusalem; and Michael Kalantarov, co-founder and COO at Visual Estate, and the community relations manager at Tech7 in Be’er Sheva.
Since the organization’s establishment in 2002, over 15 percent of Nefesh B’Nefesh Olim have chosen to reside in Israel’s North and South. The noticeable growth in the number of Olim moving to the periphery is partially due to the success of Nefesh B’Nefesh’s “Go North” and “Go South” programs, which aim to energize these communities with talented and innovative Olim.
“Throughout the years, the Zionist movement has encouraged and supported making aliyah to Israel, settlement in Israel, agriculture and development of the land. Even in the year 2017, 70 years after the state of Israel was established, each new Oleh helps in the development and advancement of the state of Israel,” said KKL-JNF World Chairman Mr. Daniel Atar. “This ongoing strategic cooperation between KKL-JNF and Nefesh B’Nefesh is meant to assist and support in new Olim interested in migrating to Israel and call it their home, especially considering the many Olim who choose to plant their roots in the north and south, and help develop and strengthen these important regions. Our shared goal is to bring 500,000 new residents to the Galilee and one million new residents to the Negev, and there is where our main efforts reside. KKL-JNF is proud and excited to help in this initiative to encourage aliyah and support new Olim, and I am sure that throughout their lives here in Israel, they will come across KKL-JNF many times—through educational programs, development of settlements and natural landscapes.”
“We have seen a steady growth of interest in recent years in our Olim moving to Jerusalem and the North and South of Israel,” said Rabbi Yehoshua Fass, co-founder and executive director of Nefesh B’Nefesh. “While the Greater-Tel Aviv area is generally the city associated with the “Start-Up Nation” there is a growing vibrant hi-tech community that is invigorating these areas and contributing to the country’s dynamic hi-tech ecosystem.”
