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GLOBAL RELIGIOUS LEADERS

BY THE NUMBERS

61 Over 18,000 26

COUNTRIES ALUMNI SCHOOLS
2,100 Over 90% 29

STUDENTS A YEAR MATRICULATION RATE YEARS OF NAALE

country is all about, and there is no the eventual aliyah of their own families enabling students from around the
better place to feel that than at Naale.” in their footsteps. (Naale is an acronym world to participate.
A priority of the Naale program is for Noar Oleh Lifnei Horim, “Youth Looking Ahead to the
acclimation. In other words, participants Immigrating Before Parents.”)
don’t remain inside a “Naale bubble.” This pioneering vision came to fruition. Next Chapter
They become an integral part of the Today, Naale brings hundreds of new While remaining in Israel is not a
Israeli community, at school and beyond. requirement of the program, students
Nitzan, an Israeli graduate of Amana, students to Israel each year with the who wish to make aliyah after graduating
forged such a powerful connection full financial support of the Ministry receive all the help and support they
with her Naale counterparts that she of Education. After a successful first need.
decided to fulfill her Sherut Leumi, or decade, the Israeli government made
National Service, as a counselor for Naale an established program of the Many students choose to enlist and
Naale students. “As an alumna of the government and the Jewish Agency, serve in the Israeli Defense Forces or
Israeli program, I can tell you that a volunteer in Sherut Leumi, the National
Naale student will never feel alone. One Service program. Some graduates stay in
of the main goals of the native Israeli My dad told me about Israel and study at seminary, yeshiva, or
students is to help Naale participants Naale, and I immediately attend university. The Bar Levav family
feel they have found their home away said I’m doing this, like shares, “Since finishing high school
from home.” it or not. I think the best with Naale, our son has been happily
part is integrating into the
From Three Months culture so early on. Now I learning in a Hesder yeshiva and is well-
to Three Years positioned for a long life in Israel. Our
speak Hebrew and have daughter will soon graduate and plans to
How did it all begin? In 1989, a pilot great friends and a sup- do Sherut Leumi. We hope to join them
group of Jewish teenagers from Riga, port system here. Being
Latvia, came to study at an Israeli high away from home for long soon and we couldn’t be more proud.”
school for three months. Most enjoyed periods of time and not Those who choose to return to
the experience so much that they understanding conversa- their countries of origin do so
extended their trip for their remaining tions in other languages with an internationally-recognized
three years of high school. This was challenging. There are matriculation certificate, allowing them
sparked the idea among Jewish Agency ups and downs but I defi- to be accepted into top colleges and
emissaries in the former Soviet Union universities around the globe.
(FSU): why not bring Jewish teenagers nitely recommend Naale.
to Israel to attend high school in Israel It’s really cool to get to Naale graduates can be found in an array
and earn a bagrut diploma? The initial know people from around of top fields: nurses on the front line
concept of Naale was born. the world and connect of the COVID-19 pandemic, engineers
to them on a level you
In 1992, in cooperation with the wouldn’t have been able in the hi-tech sector, educators
Society for Advancement of Education to if you’d stayed home. spreading Torah, lawyers, accountants,
in Jerusalem, the Israeli government optometrists, tour guides, and so many
initiated Naale based on a Zionist vision Noam, more.
– creating a high school framework in Current Naale student
Israel for Jewish students from the FSU. To learn more visit www.naale-
Thus, these students would spearhead elite-academy.com/en

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