By: Howard Flower, ICEJ Aliyah Director

In September, 86 Russian-speaking Jews from across Europe gathered in Vilnius, Lithuania for an intensive Aliyah seminar organised by The Jewish Agency for Israel, the ICEJ’s long-time partner. The location carried profound significance. This city, once known as the “Jerusalem of the North,” was home to the great Gaon of Vilna, who revolutionised Jewish thought about returning to Zion. Nearly three centuries later, his vision is coming to life in the most practical way possible.  

The Gaon, a towering 18th-century Talmudic genius, taught something revolutionary for his era: that Jews should not wait passively for divine intervention but should actively begin their return to the Land of Israel. His concept of Atchalta De’Geulah—the beginning of redemption—asserted that human action from below would initiate divine response from above. Today, as antisemitism surges across Europe and Jewish families pack their belongings for Israel, this vision is unfolding before our eyes.  

Those taking part in the Vilnius seminar represented a microcosm of Western Jewry’s current reality. Among them were families from Germany, where Jews increasingly feel like “tourist attractions”, as young Alon Kogan from Offenbach described it before making Aliyah. There were participants from Latvia and Lithuania, where Jewish communities that once thrived now struggle with dwindling numbers. Ukrainian Jews displaced by war sat alongside Finnish and Estonian families, all united by a common conviction that it was time to go home.  

Aliyah seminar in Vilnius.

The four-day program moved powerfully between remembering the past and building for the future. One evening, participants created a memorial display to honour the local Jewish communities destroyed during the Holocaust. The next morning, young people led the entire group through team-building exercises, their energy and optimism filling the room. This is the essence of modern Aliyah: remembering why Jews must never be vulnerable again while actively building the solution. 

The numbers tell an urgent story. Since October 7, 2023, over 60,000 Aliyah files have been opened. In France alone, where the ICEJ has worked since 2010, there is a 53% increase in immigration to Israel this year. Surveys indicate that 38% of French Jews—approximately 200,000 people—are now considering to move to Israel. Behind each statistic is a family like Alison’s from Marseille, who explained, “I wanted to raise my future children in a place where they could be proud of their Jewish identity without fear.”  

For over two decades, the Christian Embassy has been working with JAFI to build the infrastructure to support this modern exodus. The Naale program helps teenagers complete their high school education in Israel, with 90% choosing to stay permanently. Talia, a Frankfurt student, captured its impact perfectly. 

“My grandparents hid their Judaism in Ukraine. My parents rediscovered it in Germany. Now, I get to live it fully in Israel”, said Talia. 

In the Baltic states, ICEJ’s seasonal camps have reached over 1,000 young Jews, introducing them not just to Israeli culture but to practical pathways for making Aliyah. Since late 2022, the organisation has sponsored flights for 250 new Jewish immigrants directly from this region. 

A solidarity march through the historic streets of Vilnius, with participants carrying Israeli and Baltic state flags, demonstrated the movement is confident and growing. When families with young children joined elderly community members in the march, wearing shirts declaring their readiness to fight antisemitism, it made a very bold public statement of Jewish identity. 

Yet for all these efforts, an unprecedented challenge looms. Jewish Agency chairman Doron Almog predicts Israel may welcome one million new immigrants in the coming years. The needs—from flights to absorption programs to youth camps—are staggering. ICEJ currently assists approximately 12% of all olim (newcomers), but the Aliyah wave is growing.  

This is where partnership becomes essential. Every sponsored flight costs, on average, a thousand US dollars. Each youth camp requires funds for bus transport. The pre-Aliyah seminars need support. Contributing to this mission means participating in a historical movement that the Gaon of Vilna envisioned three centuries ago.  

The journey home is underway, from Vilnius to Jerusalem, from the Baltic Sea and Western Europe to Eretz Israel. Every sponsored flight, every youth camp, every preparatory seminar adds another chapter to this ongoing story of Jewish return to the Land of Israel. Will you help ensure every Jew can make that journey?  

Donate today at:  help.icej.org/aliyah