By ICEJ Staff Writers

Imagine being 14 years old and leaving your parents behind to pursue a new life in Israel. This summer, forty Jewish teenagers from the Former Soviet Union did just that, supported by ICEJ, including its Ireland branch. Through the Naale program, they are not just completing high school in Israel; they are stepping into a future where their Jewish identity is celebrated, their opportunities expanded, and their connection to Zion secured.

In the grand narrative of Jewish return, the story of Aliyah is shaped by powerful historical forces. Yet some of its most impactful threads are woven through intentional, long-term initiatives that foster identity and ensure continuity. The acronym Naale — ‘Noar Oleh Lifnei Horim,’ meaning ‘Youth Immigrating Before Parents’ — represents one such thread. It is a contemporary and thoughtful extension of a historic legacy, designed to deeply connect the Jewish diaspora to their ancestral homeland.

The program’s roots reach back to the 1930s and the visionary work of Recha Freier and Henrietta Szold. Confronting the rise of Nazism, their Youth Aliyah movement executed a dramatic rescue, relocating young Jews to the safety of kibbutzim in Mandate Palestine. This was more than an evacuation; it was an act of redemption, safeguarding both lives and the Jewish cultural future.

Decades later, a different upheaval created a new challenge. The 1991 dissolution of the Soviet Union caused public services, including education, to falter. For Jewish communities, this instability was compounded by a legacy of suppressed identity. It was in this context, in Saint Petersburg in 1992, that the Naale program emerged. Its offer was profound: a fully funded, elite high school education in Israel, culminating in an Israeli matriculation certificate and citizenship. The initiative brilliantly reframed Aliyah not as an escape, but as an unparalleled opportunity for academic excellence and personal growth within a nurturing Jewish environment.

Why Naale Still Matters for FSU Families

Today, while Naale has expanded globally, its role for families from the Former Soviet Union (FSU) remains uniquely significant. A key consideration for many is the shifting educational landscape in some FSU countries. State-mandated, patriotic curricula often promote a singular national narrative that can marginalise minority histories and perspectives. For Jewish students, this creates a subtle dissonance and a sense of being excluded from their nation’s story. Naale provides a powerful counterpoint, offering an education where Jewish history, culture and calendar are central. It replaces a feeling of otherness with one of belonging.

Furthermore, while overt antisemitism is less common than in past eras, a more nuanced, societal prejudice persists. This can manifest as cultural insensitivity, stereotypes, or the casual normalisation of historical tropes. For parents, the desire to provide their children with an environment free from these undercurrents is a powerful motivator. Naale offers a space where Jewish identity is not a point of differentiation but a source of strength and community, allowing students to explore their heritage with confidence and pride.

The choice these students make is historic in its own right. Unlike those rescued from Nazi Germany or those fleeing the immediate collapse of the USSR, they are not in immediate peril. They are making a calculated, hopeful choice for their future, supported by families who recognise the unique opportunities Israel provides.

The program offers more than just education; it provides immersion in Israeli society during formative years. Students live in boarding schools, celebrate Jewish holidays as national events, and build lifelong social networks. This deep integration frequently leads to them staying for military service, university, and beyond.

ICEJ’s Role in a Modern Homecoming

The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, through its 20-year partnership with the Jewish Agency For Israel, recognises the profound importance of such strategic investments. By helping facilitate the journey of Naale students, we participate in a modern narrative of return that is both proactive and positive. These students are thoughtfully and joyfully stepping into their inheritance.

As they board flights to Tel Aviv, they carry more than luggage. They bear the hopes of parents who want better for their children, the dreams of grandparents who survived oppression, and the promise of a future where being Jewish is not a complication but a celebration. They are claiming an inheritance that was nearly lost and ensuring it passes to the next generation.

Through Naale, the modern return to Zion continues not as a desperate flight, but as a confident homecoming, securing the Jewish future one brave teenager at a time.

In October, the ICEJ, with your help, will bring another group of older students entering university to Israel through the Sela program. Please give your best gift today to help the next generation find their future in Israel.

Give today at: help.icej.org/aliyah