Jewish Agency — Aliyah Services Overview: Pre-Aliyah and Post-Aliyah Support Programs

Source: https://www.jewishagency.org/aliyah-services · 2026

The Jewish Agency provides crucial pre-Aliyah information and post-Aliyah support services for Jews making Aliyah from around the world. Each year, tens of thousands of Jews from around the world make Aliyah, and the Jewish Agency supports every one of them.

Global Service Center: Aliyah Hotline

The Global Service Center Aliyah Hotline provides vital information on The Jewish Agency’s programs and services for current and potential immigrants to Israel.

• Operates 22 hours a day, six days a week
• Representatives available in numerous languages
• Handles 150,000–200,000 phone calls and internet requests per year
• Opens tens of thousands of new Aliyah files annually

Absorption Centers

The Jewish Agency operates Absorption Centers that provide housing and services to help new immigrants acclimate to life in Israel. These centers also house intensive Hebrew language (Ulpan) programs.

Nefesh B’Nefesh

Nefesh B’Nefesh (https://www.nbn.org.il/) operates in collaboration with The Jewish Agency and the Government of Israel, specifically for olim from the USA and Canada. It facilitates Aliyah and reduces financial and social burdens faced by new immigrants.

Ofek Israeli

Created in 2016, Ofek Israeli is a partnership between The Jewish Agency, the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, Keren Hayesod, and the World Zionist Organization. It focuses on maximizing Aliyah opportunities for Jews in:

• Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova
• Russian-speaking Jewish communities in the USA, Canada, France, UK, Hungary, Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, and South Africa

Programs include:

• Aliyah Fairs
• Information seminars
• Employment guidance services
• Support activities providing practical information about Israeli life

Ulpan: Intensive Hebrew Language Programs

• Housed within absorption centers
• Five hours per day of intensive, immersive Hebrew instruction
• Five days a week, for five months
• Instructors certified by the Ministry of Education
• Serves approximately 10,000–11,000 olim each year

Professional Licensing and Training Programs

Combine Ulpan, practical training, and other services. Offered in partnership with local municipalities or colleges. Include:

• Incentive programs for college graduates or professionals
• Programs combining Ulpan studies with certification coursework in a specific field
• Some programs serve exclusively olim from the former Soviet Union or Ethiopia; others are open to all olim
• Serve several hundred new immigrants each year
• Course offerings change annually to reflect labor market needs

Examples of courses offered:

• Physicians’ and nurses’ licensing
• Chef training
• Software engineering and high-tech courses