Some 5,500 Jews from around the world have had to wait for the resumption of normal travel and the lifting of restrictions so that they can come to Israel and volunteer. This number represents a significant increase in demand from past years, organizers say.
Each year, thousands of young Jews arrive in Israel from 60 countries around the world to intern and to teach in various programs led by the organization, Masa Israel Journey, founded by The Jewish Agency and Israel's government.
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Fellows normally spend between two to ten months in Israel, in an effort to "contribute to society and economy, develop personally and professionally, and strengthen their Jewish identity and connection to Israel's heritage and culture," Masa said in a statement. "The number of completed registration forms is increasing, with 50% of applicants interested in interning at Israeli companies and participating in Masa's career development programs. The five countries with the most applicants are: United States, Canada, France, Argentina and Russia," the statement read.
"Israel is the most secure place to be, especially now, during the corona pandemic, as opposed to the conditions in Spain. I am not concerned; I am interested to grow in Israel and succeed there," said 18-year-old Erik Cohen, from Venezuela, who is currently in a student exchange program in Spain and waiting to travel to Israel.
According to Masa approximately 35% of program participants make aliyah.
Masa's acting CEO, Ofer Gutman, added: "We are preparing to open the next programming year with a higher demand than past years. At this time last year, we had 2,500 registrants. Now, the number has jumped to 5,500 registrants who are on the waiting list. We are witnessing a 120% increase from last year. Participants are determined to contribute to Israel's society and economy at this moment of crisis so that they can be a part of Israel's success story. We are preparing to absorb the growing number of applicants and to provide them with a meaningful experience in Israel."
