By Howard Flower, ICEJ Aliyah Director

The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem is primed for a banner year in our Aliyah efforts in 2025, as more Jewish families are eager to come home to Israel, especially due to the scourge of antisemitism that is rising again worldwide. In anticipation of an increased wave of Jewish immigrants in the new year, the ICEJ ended 2024 by bringing together 84 Russian-speaking Jewish youth for a special Aliyah winter camp in Latvia during the recent festival of Hanukkah.

The young participants, aged 12-17, travelled from the Baltic states, Ukraine, Poland, and Germany – regions where Jewish communities face increasing pressures. Despite the chilly Latvian winter weather, these Jewish teens discovered warmth in community, celebration and connection to their shared identity.

The winter camp’s timing proved significant because recent reports show unprecedented antisemitism across Europe following the atrocities of October 7. In Germany, antisemitic incidents increased by 83% in 2023, according to the RIAS watchdog. Poland’s school textbooks still contain problematic narratives about Jewish-Christian relations and Israel. The Baltic states work through their complex Holocaust history from World War II, while Ukraine’s Jewish youth deal with the added burdens of the current war with Russia.

Yet Israel offers strength and possibilities. Jewish Agency chairman Doron Almog recently predicted Israel might welcome one million new Jewish immigrants in coming years, reflecting both rising antisemitism abroad and Israel’s strong society despite its own multi-front conflict.

During their five days together ending on December 31st, participants joined in activities centered on Jewish tradition and Israeli life. They celebrated Hanukkah and Shabbat, studied Hebrew, learned Jewish history, and talked with Israeli counsellors about daily life in Israel. The counsellors shared their own personal experiences of making Aliyah as youngsters through such JAFI programs as Naale and Masa.

“These Aliyah camps plant seeds for the future,” explained Danielle Mor of the Jewish Agency. “In Israel, these young people become part of the majority rather than a minority, protected by the IDF and free to live as Jews openly. They find educational opportunities and ways to build their nation.”

The camp’s impact shows the growing numbers of young people preparing for Aliyah. Recent data indicates nearly one-third of new immigrants to Israel are between 18-35 years old. Many join special programs through the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration and the Jewish Agency that strengthen Israel’s society.

Especially for these young Jews in Eastern Europe today, the decision to make Aliyah stems from both historical awareness and current conditions. These regions hold deep scars of antisemitism all the way back to medieval times, when Jews often stood between nobility and peasantry – leaving them open to public anger, and danger, During World War II, for instance, these areas saw terrible atrocities during the Holocaust, often with local participation. Sadly, the educational systems in these regions have not been effectively used to change the negative cultural attitudes of the peoples concerning their Jewish neighbors.

Meanwhile, despite over 15 months of fighting in Israel, the Jewish state welcomed more than 32,000 olim (newcomers) last year. Many were young people who came from these areas for all the right reasons.

Make your best gift today to help us bring many more Jews home in 2025. Israel is preparing for a major new wave of Aliyah due to the rising global wave of antisemitism, and Israel’s emerging victory over its Iranian-led adversaries. ICEJ will assist as many new immigrants to Israel as possible, as we always do.

Donate today at:  help.icej.org/aliyah

Photos credited to: JAFI