ICEJ supporting Vocational Training for New Immigrants

By: Kayla Muchnik

It is one thing to know a skill in your native language and culture, but it is a whole other thing to adapt that skill to new norms of practice in another country and in a foreign language. With the move, immigrants usually need to upgrade skills or become recertified in their profession. Unfortunately, many may ultimately end up having to switch professions altogether. We are always amazed at the resiliency of new Jewish immigrants who face so many obstacles on their way to integrating into Israeli society!

Witnessing these challenges, we are deeply grateful for our Christian friends around the world who help us provide essential support for immigrants in their first days and months in the Land of Israel. This year, 16 immigrant doctors benefited from recertification and Hebrew language courses, and an additional 27 young people began intensive computer programming courses that provided guaranteed employment upon completion. We are delighted to be a part of helping these 43 Jewish immigrants and their families make essential steps towards finding suitable employment – one of the keys to successful integration.

After 22 years of experience as a doctor of Internal Medicine in Russia, Dr. Irina Denisov made Aliyah to Israel with her husband and nine-year-old daughter. Irina is one of those resilient immigrants who pressed forward in the recertification program for Doctors, which included professional Hebrew classes for medical terminology and clinical observations in a hospital. She is currently in the last phase – a six-month shadowing period at the Children and Emergency Room Internal Medicine Department at the Barzilai Hospital. Once this period is over, she will receive her medical license in Israel from the medical committee.

Yelena and Vladimir Yeshchenko, and their four-year-old daughter, Augustine, made Aliyah from the former Soviet Union. Yelena shared her experience: “While acculturating, we had the opportunity to learn Hebrew in the same building in which we live, and my husband, Vladimir, took the Tel Ran Computer Training course to obtain his programming license in Israel. It turned out to be so much more than formal studies and low rent… We greatly appreciate the help we received from the Aliyah Center workers… My daughter was always happy with the afterschool and summer camp activities of the Aliyah Center, and this enabled us to focus on studies and work.” After successfully completing their vocational trainings, Yelena now works as a psychologist and her husband works as a computer programmer!

Ana Friedman made Aliyah by herself from Belarus and had already obtained her MBA and a master’s degree in Mathematics. Upon her arrival, she dove head-first into the computer programming course. Yet, she and no one else, saw the world pandemic coming. Ana explains: “Six months ago, no one thought that we would need to study at home through zoom. Despite this trying coronavirus period, the staff at the Aliyah Center and Tel Ran College turned our studies into a fascinating journey… We managed to progress in our studies, and we gained so much knowledge – not only of the Hebrew language – but of computer coding as well. We also received answers to any questions we had.”

The computer programming course is designed for young adults, ages 25-40, who have completed their undergraduate degrees and who are proficient in English. Participants are immersed in an intensive curriculum, which demands a serious commitment of 430 hours in computer theory, 350 hours of practical training, 200 hours developing a personal program that is presented at the end of the year, and 500 hours of Ulpan. In addition, all participants are invited to attend specialized workshops that focus on professional cultural adaptation, the job-seeking process, financial planning, and the Israeli tax and national insurance systems

Nicole Yoder, the VP of Aid & Aliyah noted that “Israel is greatly in need of additional medical and high-tech professionals to fill shortages in these key areas. Therefore, we at the ICEJ will continue to support vocational training programs which are so crucial for both new immigrants and the country – particularly in this time of crisis.” In January 2021, we are looking forward to welcoming 20 French immigrants who will soon arrive to begin the program.

Join us in equipping many more Jewish immigrants and their families with the skills, training, and experience they need to thrive in their careers here in the land of Israel!