At a government meeting held on Sunday, February 18, the "Af Al Pi Hen" (Despite everything) repatriation support program, presented last week by Minister of Aliyah and Integration Ofir Sofer and Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich, was approved. An allocation of 170 million NIS will finance the program.
The program is named after the legendary ship used since 1946 to smuggle immigrants into Palestine, later becoming the main exhibit of the Museum of Illegal Immigration in Haifa.
The name also refers to "Black Saturday" on October 7 and the War of Iron Swords. Data presented at the press conference during the program's unveiling showed a significant increase in repatriation requests from Jews worldwide after October 7, 2023.
For instance, from October 7, 2022, to January 21, 2023, 356 people from France submitted repatriation requests. From October 7, 2023, to January 21, 2024, this number surged to 1,533 people—an increase of 331%. In Canada, repatriation cases increased by 138% (from 123 to 314 people), in the USA by 92% (from 1,264 to 2,431 people), and in the UK by 42% (from 149 to 211 people).
The program includes measures like accompanying repatriates from their country of origin, providing suitable integration programs, reforming the ulpan system for individualized Hebrew learning, enhancing digital learning components, and more.
It also establishes support systems for future employment in Israel, offering retraining or advanced courses tailored to the Israeli job market's needs. Additionally, comprehensive assistance will be provided to students interested in academic pursuits, facilitating their integration into Israeli society.
Housing assistance is part of the program, with repatriates in priority development cities receiving increased rental assistance for two years—2,000 shekels per month starting from March 1, 2024. Moreover, initiatives will support immigrant families in youth-oriented areas, accelerating their integration into Israeli society.
