Forty new immigrants from North America became Israeli citizens in a single day ahead of the upcoming Passover holiday, underscoring continued aliyah despite the ongoing war with Iran. Twenty-five olim landed at Ben Gurion Airport on Wednesday morning, while 15 additional olim already in Israel finalized their citizenship the same day, marking a notable moment of immigration during heightened regional tensions.
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Olim welcomed at Ben Gurion Airport by Ofir Sofer, Minister of Aliyah and Integration, Nefesh B’Nefesh Co-Founder and Executive Director Rabbi Yehoshua Fass, and Chairman of the World Zionist Organization Yaakov Hagoel
(Photo: Elisha Henkin)
Amid Operation “Roaring Lion,” the new arrivals said the security situation did not deter them. In many cases, they said, it strengthened their determination to build their futures in Israel. “The war actually motivated me even more to make aliyah,” said Eli Schwartz, a 30-year-old lawyer from West Orange, NJ. “I was more worried about my flight getting cancelled than the war.”
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'More worried about my flight getting cancelled than the war,' Eli Schwartz
(photo: Yonit Schiller)
All of the olim made aliyah with the assistance of Nefesh B’Nefesh, in cooperation with the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, the Jewish Agency for Israel, Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael and Jewish National Fund-USA. The new citizens will celebrate Passover, the holiday of freedom, for the first time as Israelis, adding deeper meaning to their personal journeys of return and renewal.
They were welcomed at Ben Gurion Airport by Minister of Aliyah and Integration Ofir Sofer, Nefesh B’Nefesh co-founder and Executive Director Rabbi Yehoshua Fass, and World Zionist Organization Chairman Yaakov Hagoel. “The continuous immigration of Jews choosing to come to Israel, even under rocket fire and despite the many challenges, is a powerful source of strength for the State of Israel,” Sofer said. “The historic war and the IDF’s significant achievements are instilling a sense of victory among Jews around the world, inspiring them to make aliyah ahead of Passover.”
The group includes immigrants from seven states and provinces across the United States and Canada. The youngest oleh is 21 and the oldest is 96. They plan to settle in communities across Israel, including Tel Aviv-Yafo, Jerusalem, Modi’in-Maccabim-Re’ut, Haifa, Kiryat Yam, Ashkelon, Ashdod and Rehovot. “As Jews around the world prepare to recite ‘Next year in Jerusalem’ at their upcoming Pessach Seders, we are witnessing individuals who are turning those hopes and prayers into reality,” Fass said. “Even in the face of the ongoing war, today’s olim are choosing to build new lives in Israel without delaying their plans.” In parallel with the arrival flight, 15 olim already in Israel visited Population and Immigration Authority offices at the Interior Ministry to receive their Israeli ID cards, completing their aliyah process.
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'I wasn’t deterred. I was even more ready to come' Amanda Schuster
(Photo: Yonit Schiller)
According to Nefesh B’Nefesh, more than 130 new immigrants from North America have arrived since the start of the war with Iran. Since the beginning of 2026, about 500 North American olim have made aliyah, with another 110 expected to arrive in April. The organization also reported that more than 830 aliyah files have been opened by North American Jews since the start of Operation “Roaring Lion.”
Amanda Schuster, a 34-year-old olah from Baltimore, Maryland, acknowledged the emotional complexity of the moment. “I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous,” she said. “I wasn’t deterred. I was even more ready to come. I just want to be part of the country. I want to contribute and give back as much as I can.”
“Especially in complex times of pain and uncertainty, the decision to make aliyah to Israel is a powerful testament to the deep connection between the Jewish people and their land,” said Maj. Gen. (res.) Doron Almog, chairman of the Jewish Agency. “Each oleh brings not only personal hope, but a nationwide moral boost and a spirit of partnership.”
“At a time when sirens are sounding and people are taking shelter, you chose to pack up your lives and make aliyah to Israel, not out of convenience, but out of a sense of mission, faith and a living, breathing Zionism,” Hagoel said. “This is a moment of deep connection to the Jewish people, to the Land of Israel and to a shared story that has spanned generations.”
The new immigrants will benefit from a range of incentives introduced by the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, including rental assistance in national priority areas, community support frameworks, expanded Hebrew language programs both locally and online, and purchase tax reductions.
Founded in 2002, Nefesh B’Nefesh works to address Israel’s national needs through aliyah, national service, national development and Zionist education. In partnership with government and global Jewish organizations, it has helped more than 95,000 North American olim integrate into Israeli society, with a reported retention rate of about 90 percent.
First published: 14:19, 03.25.26