Young olim key to developing Jerusalem, says Aliyah Minister Ofir Sofer

Young olim (new immigrants) from all over the world can become a key factor in developing Jerusalem and ensuring a prosperous future for Israel’s capital, according to Aliyah and Integration Minister Ofir Sofer. 

Last month, the ministry launched a new initiative aimed at encouraging young Jews ages 18-35 who move to Israel to settle in Jerusalem.

“We recently launched the ‘Young Aliyah to Jerusalem’ initiative and we plan on building a new Aliyah Integration center in the city which will help thousands of new Olim make their dreams become a reality by moving to Jerusalem and building their lives there,” he said.

A third of young olim who moved to Jerusalem later left

Data by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) recently reported by Ynet shows that since 2018, more than 18,000 new olim moved to Jerusalem at first, about half of whom were aged 18-35. However, around 30% of the young immigrants have since left the city.

Sofer highlighted that promoting aliyah and supporting Olim’s inclusion into Israeli society is essential in order to make the country stronger. 

“My ministry is planning to invest in strengthening Aliyah of young individuals, young couples, families, and students,” he said. “We are building wide-ranging programs dedicated to increasing Aliyah and improving the integration of Olim from France, the United States and other Western countries.”

“I believe that the investments we are making together with our partners which include prestigious organizations like Nefesh B’Nefesh and the Jewish Agency will help my ministry and the State of Israel succeed in bolstering and improving Aliyah,” he concluded.

Aliyah and Integration Minister Ofir Sofer will take part in the Jerusalem Post Annual Conference in New York on June 5. For more information - www.jpost.com/AC23