For many people considering aliyah, the biggest question is surprisingly simple: Where do I start?
The process involves documents, eligibility, interviews and planning for life in a new country. But prospective olim do not have to navigate those steps alone. The Aliyah and Absorption Unit at The Jewish Agency for Israel accompanies olim from their first interest in aliyah through the application process, arrival in Israel and, ultimately, integration into Israeli society.
Aliyah advisers are available around the world and in Israel to help prospective olim understand the process and move through its different stages. The goal is not simply to help people reach Israel, but to give them the information, tools and support they need to build a successful life once they arrive.
Step one: Open your aliyah file online
For someone ready to begin the formal process, the first step can be taken digitally.
Prospective olim can open an aliyah file online, provide their initial personal information and upload the required documents. Once submitted, the application is sent directly to aliyah advisers at the Global Aliyah Center.
The advisers review the information and documents and contact the applicant regarding the next steps or any additional information that may be required.
New olim arrive at Ben Gurion Airport
(Photo: Elisha Henkin/Aliyah and Integration Ministry)
From there, eligible applicants proceed to an Aliyah interview and continue through the process of establishing their eligibility for Aliyah, subject to meeting the relevant criteria.
Before you arrive: Learn from people who have already done it
Not every aliyah question is about forms and official procedures.
Which neighborhood is right for your family? What are the schools really like? What should you know about a particular city? What is everyday life actually like after you arrive?
For those questions, The Jewish Agency’s Aliyapp platform connects prospective olim with new immigrants who have already made aliyah as well as Israelis who can share their experience on a range of everyday issues.
(Photo: Courtesy of Kinneret Ribkind)
It gives prospective olim another kind of resource: the opportunity to learn from people who know the realities on the ground.
Find an absorption program that fits you
Aliyapp also provides updated information about absorption programs available through The Jewish Agency, together with the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration and other partners.
The Jewish Agency operates dozens of absorption programs across Israel designed for different stages of life and different needs. These include employment and academic programs, programs for young adults and families, and Hebrew Ulpan studies.
Instead of waiting until after arrival to discover what is available, prospective olim can explore programs in advance and identify options that may help them integrate more successfully into Israeli life.
Aliyah in seven steps
For anyone overwhelmed by the entire process, it can help to see aliyah as a roadmap rather than one enormous decision.
The Jewish Agency's “Aliyah in 7 Steps” guide lays out the journey from the initial stage of considering Aliyah, through opening a file, the interview and eligibility process, preparations for departure and, ultimately, arrival and absorption in Israel.
Aliyah and Integration Minister Ofir Sofer with some of the olim
(Photo: Elisha Hankin)
The aim is to make clear not only what happens next, but also where prospective Olim are in the process and what they should be preparing for at each stage.
The guide, along with answers to frequently asked questions, is available through The Jewish Agency’s Aliyah resources.
Support doesn't end at Ben Gurion Airport
Perhaps the most important thing for prospective Olim to understand is that Aliyah does not end when the plane lands.
Arriving in Israel begins another process: finding work, learning Hebrew, pursuing education, establishing a home, creating a community and learning how Israeli life works.
That is why aliyah and absorption are treated as parts of the same journey. Through advisers, programs and partnerships with the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, support is designed to continue from the first questions about Aliyah through the process itself and into life in Israel.
It is a living expression of the strength and hope of the Jewish people — and new Olim bring with them the experience, skills and energy to contribute to Israeli society.
It is also a story of mutual responsibility: people choosing to build their future in Israel, and a country and community helping them turn that decision into a new life.