They came from every corner of the globe. Some arrived in clandestine operations under the shadow of danger, while others came from lives of comfort and security overseas. Yet they all share one thing in common: the moment when their hearts said, "Home." In the complex reality of the State of Israel, aliyah stories are the beating heart of Zionism. We met 12 olim, from the founding generation to young people who have only just landed, to hear about the personal journeys that became an inseparable part of the great Israeli mosaic. These are their stories.
Brig. Gen. (res.) Segev Yitzhak
Country of origin: Egypt | Year of aliyah: 1956
"I immigrated to Israel with my family at age 10 because of antisemitism. In Israel, we were sent to a transit camp in Safed and later to the Mazra transit camp in Acre. I began my service in the Israel Defense Forces in the Golani Brigade, and later advanced through the ranks, serving in a variety of roles. After my discharge, I continued in public service, and today I volunteer as chairman of the computing committee at the Tzavt organization, while also leading the establishment of a Yad Labanim memorial building in Zikhron Yaakov. I am married to Hadas, and we have four children and nine grandchildren."
Simon Danitz
Country of origin: England | Year of aliyah: 2025 (the 800th immigrant that year)
"I immigrated to Israel with my wife, Debra, and our two daughters out of a desire to be part of the Jewish people during the challenging period they are going through. We are very proud of our country. We see it as a miracle for the Jewish people, and we know it is often portrayed in a distorted way around the world. At the same time, though, we also have many admirers and supporters across the globe. It was important for us to make aliyah while our daughters were still young, and here they were given the opportunity to integrate easily, learn the language and build their future."
Thomas Worbe
Country of origin: Uruguay | Year of aliyah: 2020
"I came out of a desire to live in the Land of Israel, to belong and to contribute to society and the state. I love the variety of landscapes in such a small country, from south to north, all of them fascinating, historic, meaningful and unique. What I love most is the Israeli joy for life and the desire to keep living despite the complexity and the difficult conditions, always with positive thinking and with an eye toward the future. I wish for the state to celebrate years of quiet and peace with ourselves, with our neighbors and with the world."
Dr. Gloria Rashid
Country of origin: Iran | Year of aliyah: 1979
"I immigrated to Israel at age 15 with my two younger sisters, against the backdrop of the Islamic Revolution in Iran. We were literally on the last El Al flights out of Tehran. My father remained behind, and my mother later returned to help rescue him from there. We left behind a well-established home in exchange for a new beginning in a country that was unfamiliar to us. Today I am married, a mother of two, and live in Ra'anana. I am a senior executive and head the laboratory system at Meir Medical Center."
Dr. Nadia Ellis
Country of origin: Italy | Year of aliyah: 2008
"I came to Israel for a visit, fell in love with it and decided to make aliyah. I cannot imagine myself anywhere else. Italy will of course always be in my heart, but Israel is home. Here I feel that I belong, and that feeling is worth everything. Today I am a chef and entrepreneur in the field of vegan Italian food, and I lecture on rhetoric and discourse analysis at Tel Aviv University."
Lily Mandlawi Shur
Country of origin: Iraq | Year of aliyah: 1971
"As a daughter of the persecuted Jewish minority in Baghdad, it is a great privilege to live in the State of Israel, standing tall, in freedom and liberty. When I was 14, my family locked up our home with all its contents inside and fled because life had become difficult for Jews. With the help of the Kurds, we crossed the border into Iran, and from Tehran we immigrated to Israel. Our aliyah was the fulfillment of every family member's deepest wish. I was proud to serve in the army of our independent state. I have two daughters and three grandchildren. Today I manage foreign relations and events at the Babylonian Jewry Heritage Center and serve as a museum guide."
Karen Tal
Country of origin: Morocco | Year of aliyah: 1968
"When we immigrated to Israel, we settled in the Ir Ganim neighborhood of Jerusalem, which at the time was a distressed area. Despite the hardships, my parents saw aliyah as an opportunity to build a home and as a privilege. Their motto was: 'Get an education and be decent people, serve in the Israel Defense Forces, and give charity.' Today I am an educator and chief executive of the Amal network, which has made the values of Israel's Declaration of Independence, along with excellence in science and technology, its guiding principles. Education is the force that builds society and its security. We will be able to emerge from this fracture if we learn to make peace among ourselves, and later with our neighbors."
Sebastian Popper
Country of origin: Argentina | Year of aliyah: 2003
"I am married to Laura and father of two. My motivation for immigrating was to give my children a Jewish identity and Jewish education. I completed my law studies in Argentina and arrived in Israel as a lawyer. We have grown here both personally and professionally. When we arrived, we faced challenges, but we learned how to overcome them. Our children are growing up in an Israeli and Jewish environment, and that makes me very happy. I am very optimistic about the future of the State of Israel and hope better days lie ahead for us, with peace, prosperity and good food."
Alex Riff
Country of origin: Ukraine | Year of aliyah: 1991
"I immigrated to Israel at age 5 as the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, a war veteran and a survivor of the gulags from Soviet Jewry. I grew up in Netanya, served as an officer in the Israel Defense Forces and studied at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Today I am a social activist, chief executive of Lobby 1 Million, which defends the rights of Russian speakers, a poet, and the author of the book More Jewish Than You. I am the mother of Gur, Oz and Eliana, and the partner of Daniel. I believe that through excellence and hard work we will be able to rebuild the State of Israel and create a better tomorrow for our children."
Shira Shata
Country of origin: Ethiopia | Year of aliyah: 1985
"I am the daughter of Barchko Mangestu and Touba Pardo, the youngest child, with 13 brothers and sisters. I came to Israel via Sudan at age 3 together with my mother. In Israel, we began building a life rooted in belonging and hope. I am the mother of Itamar, Hillel, Assaf and Nevo, married to Shlomi, and live in Jerusalem. Professionally, I serve as deputy director general for administration and human resources at the Labor Ministry. I grew up in a culture in which community is a leading value. I believe that even the challenging period we are experiencing is part of a process of overcoming and growth as a nation, and that better days still lie ahead."
Dr. Moshe Mosak
Country of origin: Bulgaria | Year of aliyah: 1948
"I immigrated to Israel when the state was established, going straight to Jerusalem, where I still live today. I came because the communist regime persecuted Jews and harmed them economically. My family and the community as a whole were Zionist. Professionally, I am a writer, archivist and historian of the Yishuv and of Bulgarian Jewry. I am married, father of one son and two daughters, and grandfather of eight grandchildren. I hope we will emerge from today's political and social crises into a new reality in which peace will prevail among us and with our neighbors."
Michael De-Luca
Country of origin: US | Year of aliyah: 2023
"I first visited Israel 20 years ago on a Birthright trip, and a week before October 7 I arrived intending to visit again. After the war broke out, I stayed to volunteer, and later opened an aliyah file with the help of Nefesh B'Nefesh, in cooperation with the Aliyah and Integration Ministry and the Jewish Agency. The unique resilience of Israeli society strengthened my decision to remain here, because who else can say they were in a shelter because of a ballistic missile, and then ordered pizza afterward? For me, aliyah is closing a circle and a profound sense of belonging: I am coming back home."
