October 18 - Aliyah Day. How it became a national holiday 10 years ago

October 18 marks Aliyah Day in Israel, the newest national holiday, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2026. It was approved by the Knesset in 2016 to honor immigrants and recognize their contributions to various spheres of the country. The date was chosen as the 7th day of the month of Cheshvan, linked to the reading of the Torah portion "Lech Lecha" about Abraham's first aliyah.

October 18 marks Aliyah Day (Yom HaAliyah) in Israel, the newest national holiday, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2026. It was approved by the Knesset in 2016 to honor immigrants and recognize their contributions to security, economy, science, high-tech, and sports. The date of the holiday was chosen as the seventh day of the Hebrew month of Cheshvan, as that week features the reading of the Torah portion "Lech Lecha," which tells of Abraham's first aliyah. Initially, the date of 10 Nisan was proposed, but it falls during a period of vacations and holidays. The article mentions the largest waves of aliyah: the 1990s aliyah from the USSR (the Great Aliyah) and the wave starting in 2022, linked to the Russian-Ukrainian war, which has brought about 100,000 immigrants from Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus over the past three years. The holiday is marked by special sessions in the Knesset and government institutions, lectures in schools and the army, and speeches by the president and prime minister.