By Howard Flower, ICEJ Aliyah Director

We are currently in the season for Aliyah! For Jewish families worldwide, summer is the optimum time to plan their return to Israel. Traditionally, families in the Jewish Diaspora plan their move with the Israeli school year in mind, which starts this year on September 1. Most aim to arrive in July or August so children can begin school alongside their peers.

Why Summer? Practical and Spiritual Imperatives
Summer Aliyah timing blends practical necessity with deep aspiration. Families with school-aged children need housing secured, paperwork filed, and Hebrew absorption started before the academic year demands full attention. The September 1 deadline creates a concentrated window for housing, school placements, and integration services.

But urgency extends beyond logistics. Rising global antisemitism has added new impetus to their decision to move. Remarkably, many families choose Aliyah not despite Israel’s challenges, but because of them—driven by a desire to contribute during trying times. The Jewish Agency expected 15,500 Jewish immigrants from Western nations in 2024 alone—nearly 2.5 times the previous year’s numbers.

Summer Camps: From Recreation to Repatriation
Jewish summer camps have long been cornerstones of Jewish life abroad. But for youth in the former Soviet Union—where Judaism was suppressed for generations—these camps serve an even deeper purpose.

Since 2005, the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem has supported summer and winter camps organised by The Jewish Agency For Israel, spanning eight time zones from the Baltics to the Far East. In Latvia alone, an ICEJ-assisted camp recently hosted 95 children and 23 counsellors, including Ukrainian refugees alongside local Jewish children.

For many, it was their first Shabbat, first Hebrew exposure, and first meaningful connection to Israel. These camps blend cultural immersion, education about Israel, and practical Aliyah preparation—strategic investments in the prophetic return of the Jewish people.

Gateways of Naale and SELA Programs
Summer camps serve as gateways to JAFI’s structured Youth Aliyah programs. Naale (“Youth Immigrating Ahead of Parents”) offers subsidized high school education in Israel—often leading to entire families making Aliyah. About 90% of Naale students remain in Israel, and roughly 60% of their parents eventually join them.

For older students, SELA provides a pathway for Jewish youth aged 17–21 to study at Israeli universities and integrate into society. Participants learn Hebrew and Israeli culture, preparing for academic life or military service. The program culminates with participants receiving Israeli ID cards—a profound transformation marking their new identity.

The Cycle of Inspiration
One powerful aspect of the camp model is peer inspiration. When Israeli schools close for summer, many Youth Aliyah participants return to their home countries—and to the very camps where they first caught the vision for Aliyah. There, they share firsthand stories of life in Israel, speak about Naale and SELA experiences, and encourage younger campers to follow suit.

ICEJ also is excited to report that another wave of Aliyah from Ethiopia is coming soon. A team from the Jewish Agency and the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration recently returned from Ethiopia, where they began preparing the way home for hundreds of Ethiopian Jewish families caught in the economic crisis following civil war and ethnic conflicts.

The ‘Beta Israel’ community in the Tigray region face one of the most dangerous chapters in their community’s long, difficult history of living under threats. Many are preparing to come home soon with the ICEJ’s help.

Additionally, the ICEJ will sponsor another full charter flight of French Jews during the first week of August—our second such flight this summer.

Plus, the ICEJ is actively assisting the urgent Aliyah operation “Wings of Dawn”, having sponsored 100 of 600 Bnei Menashe who recently arrived from remote northeast India. As part of the Israeli government’s five-year plan, more families of Israelite descent are now preparing for additional flights scheduled from India for this coming November.

Conclusion: A Call to Action
This season of return is not merely history repeating—it is Bible prophecy unfolding. Each summer brings new families, new stories, and new fulfilments of ancient promises by God to bring His people home from the four corners of the earth. Still, the need remains urgent. From funding summer camps that plant seeds of return to sponsoring charter flights that actually bring Jewish families home, the Christian Embassy is standing with the Jewish people every step of the way.

We invite you to partner with us in this sacred mission. Your support fuels Aliyah flights, summer camps, youth programs, and even life-saving transportation for Jews finally making their way to Israel. Together, we can ensure this season of return continues—not just this summer, but year-round. Please consider giving generously today to help bring more of Jewish people home.

Give today at: help.icej.org/aliyah

Main photo: A young French Family arriving on ICEJ’s charter flight from Paris in July this year. (Photo: ICEJ)