The stories are moving, the numbers are worrying: behind the wave of aliyah from North America

A comprehensive article examines the wave of aliyah from North America to Israel in the summer of 2026, focusing on immigrants who are not fleeing hardship but choosing to leave comfortable, established lives in the US and Canada for Israel, against the backdrop of war, rising antisemitism, and a sense of national belonging. The article combines statistics from the Nefesh B'Nefesh organization with personal stories of immigrants, presenting a relatively young profile of immigrants with an average age of 29.

A comprehensive article by Walla! examines the wave of aliyah from North America to Israel in the summer of 2026, focusing on immigrants who choose to leave comfortable, established lives in the US and Canada, not out of distress, but out of Zionism, a sense of belonging, and a response to rising antisemitism. The article quotes comedian Yochai Sponder, who defines Zionism as 'lowering your life to help us reach the level of the country you came from.' According to data from the Nefesh B'Nefesh organization, the summer totaled more than 2,200 new immigrants from North America, of whom about 1,100 arrived in August alone, and the forecast for the entire year of 2026 stands at more than 4,000. The average age of the immigrants is 29, and they include singles, retirees, children, and people of diverse professions. The article combines personal stories: Aaron Dahan, a Manhattan café owner whose antisemitic employees abandoned him after October 7; Ilana and Steven Snyder, a couple aged 67 who moved to Jerusalem; Elinor Kotler, a 43-year-old designer from Minneapolis who left a dream job and got engaged to an Israeli; and Roni, an 18-year-old from Manhattan who immigrated alone to enlist in the IDF. The article does not include a critical analysis of absorption policy or the implications of aliyah on Israeli society.