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Since you have become Minister, you have visited the two that were given as options were Yerucham and Teveria. In the
largest Diaspora communities, the USA and France. What 1950s, the Israeli government sent recent olim to far flung areas
did you learn from meeting these communities? to help settle the land, but that isn’t our policy now. It is hard to
find places that can be affordable for a whole community that
I had many conversations and heard a broad range of views – also are in central locations with good job opportunities.
from people who are very comfortable in their communities,
to parents who want their kids to move, and increasing fears
of antisemitism. I also learned that many people don’t know In one of your first interviews in your role, you said you
the remarkable things that Israel has to offer olim. For example, want to improve the profile of Aliyah within Israeli society.
young people who make Aliyah are able to study for a degree in What do you mean by that?
Israel for free. This is an incredible benefit, and so many people
don’t know this! I want olim to feel valued and respected for their decision to
make Aliyah by the broader Israeli society. For many years I have
I also have met with Anglo communities in Israel, in places like advocated for reservists’ rights in the country. When a child goes
Carmei Gat. There is no question that having strong communities to a shop in Israel, and tells the shopkeeper that his father is
is a huge part of successful Aliyah. As much as the government
can give and help, there are forms of support that only commu- serving in miluim (reserve duty), the shopkeeper will often say “Kol
nities can provide to individuals and families making Aliyah. Hakavod!” I want olim families to feel that same level of respect
in Israeli society. For this reason, we have launched programs
like Aliyah Week, in which children in the education system learn
For many religious people, there is this dream of what I about olim and the sacrifices they have made.
would call the “Rabbi Riskin model,” in which a successful One of my first exposures to olim and the sacrifices they make
Diaspora community builds a new community in Israel in occurred when I was an officer in the IDF and got to know the
their own image. Is this vision still alive and possible, 40
years after Rabbi Riskin did it?

It definitely is alive and possible! However, there are a number of
challenges to making something like this work. First, it requires
a certain number of pioneers willing to leave their comfort zone
to start something new. But we also have to be realistic because
of the rise of property prices in Israel. We are fighting to try
and keep prices down, but it is a tough battle – the continuing
growth of the population means demand is high, making it
harder for prices to drop. This creates a challenge for creating
new communities. To create new communities in places that are
affordable means sending people to outlying areas of the country.
It is hard to ask olim, who are already making the sacrifice of
leaving their home countries, to sacrifice again by moving to
outlying parts of the country.
I recently sat with the head of the Israel Land Authority to
explore the possibility of earmarking certain neighborhoods Above: Minister Sofer at the shlichut fair organized by The Center for Zionist Shlichut
currently being developed for olim. However, the types of places to the Diaspora, January 2023; Below: Minister Sofer speaking to community leaders
at Mizrachi’s World Orthodox Israel Congress, April 2023.

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