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The Growth of

Youth Aliyah:
Risi Finkel

Beyond the Numbers

n 2009, I spent the year studying
in Midreshet Harova. I wanted
to build a life in Israel, and
Iwith six other young women
from my seminary all making Aliyah
and enrolling in Bar-Ilan University
together, I knew that there was no
time like the present. Back then, this
was a pretty unusual thing to do; my
parents were surprised and not too
pleased with the idea. But when I told
them about the radical difference in
tuition between American and Israeli
universities, I was able to make the
sale. Even without formally making
Aliyah and receiving the free university
tuition benefit, the financial savings
were enormous.
sal klitah absorption money the Israeli Her answer surprised me. “I grew up
Over the years, the number of gap government gives to new olim, as well in a really Zionist community, went
year students choosing to stay in to a Zionist school and Zionist camp,
Israel and young Americans coming as other economic benefits within the and and living in Israel was always a
to Israel after finishing their degree first few years of immigration. priority to me. I went to Camp Stone,
has been rising considerably. At and each year there were more people
work, we discussed this phenomenon
at length, hypothesizing reasons for who made Aliyah after camp. I grew up
seeing young people make the move,
its occurrence. Many students are my own brother did it on his own, and
graduating from college in America I knew it was something I wanted to
in tremendous debt, it can be hard to
find good work after university, and do too. I made Aliyah during my gap
year in Nishmat and began Sherut
we all have friends who feel trapped Leumi at Nefesh B’Nefesh the following
in toxic jobs because they are afraid to
lose their healthcare. Perhaps “youth September. I never even thought much
about the university tuition benefit,
Aliyah” is on the rise because of the though I’m not complaining!”
affordability of university, the semi- I asked Shira Roth, a lone bat sherut
socialized healthcare and the wealth from Cleveland, Ohio, if tuition, Over the years, many supportive
of career opportunities that exist in healthcare, and job opportunities were organizations have developed to assist
the Startup Nation. Not to mention the factors in her decision to make Aliyah. young olim that didn’t exist when I was

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