Israeli society is a vibrant, interwoven tapestry of Jewish cultures from around the world. Yet for many international Jews, the daunting reality of immigration to Israel can often feel foreign and lonely, many questioning their place within the modern-day Jewish homeland.
Eilon Gilad, CEO of Belong, a private and independent Israeli company that is helping Jews find purpose and opportunity in Israel, shared his unique approach to the transformative experience of immigration to Israel at the Jerusalem Post Annual Conference in New York 2024.
Showcasing a video of immigrants from around the world who have made their mark on Israeli society, like Dancing with the Stars’ Anna Aronov, Israeli sketch comedy actor Orel Tsabari, 2013 Miss Israel Yityish “Titi” Aynaw and more, Belong exudes a reinvigorated energy and passion for becoming a part of the modern-day Zionist movement, against the bleak backdrop of rising antisemitism around the world.
“Belong was established to reinforce the connections between the Diaspora and Israel,” Gilad explains “We are making sure that Israeli society and Israeli businesses are ready to get those olim in Israel.” Founded a year prior to the events of October 7, Belong saw the rise of antisemitism in the world and understood the need for support from the private sector for meaningful and tailored integration into Israeli society. While many major organizations have been working on supporting immigration to Israel for decades, Gilad asserts that Belong’s services are complementary to the legacy immigration support organizations are providing, including concierge service that helps aspiring immigrants understand how they can be a vital part of Israeli society.
Support from the private sector
“After October 7, we have seen how vital the connection between the Diaspora to Israel is, and how eager Jews around the world are for the connection and to impact and be involved in the daily lives in Israel.” With so much pressure on the government sector in the aftermath of October 7, Gilad shares the benefits of support from the private sector, working to create a network to help and embrace new immigrants to be a part of the national Israeli mission.
Understandably, many would consider the precarious security situation in Israel amidst the ongoing war, but Gilad reaffirms Israel is a haven for the Jewish people. “The best place for a Jew to be is in Israel. We are trying to connect those gaps between the pressure to move, the fear of how hard it will be and the opportunities that any Jew can find in Israel, with a society that embraces him, where he will be able to harness his talent in order to help us fortify Israel and make a stronger Israeli society.”
Delivering a powerful message to the global Jewish nation, Gilad emphasizes the importance of aliyah, now more than ever. The idealism and collective hope that drove the early pioneering Zionist movement, faced with centuries of adversity, has far from dissipated. Modern day aliyah is the fusion of innovation and tradition, inclusion and social justice, inviting a new generation to be a part of building the future of the Jewish homeland.
“The battle for a free and democratic Jewish state of Israel is not over. Our enemies understood a while ago that they could not defeat Israel on the battlefield, so they shifted to psychological warfare, attempting to delegitimize Israel globally,” Gilad asserts with determination, “Just imagine their frustration when they see that their actions, especially post-October 7, have triggered an increase in immigration to Israel, strengthening us as a nation. It is a simple equation: they want us out of here – we need to do exactly the opposite and create an immigration wave that will strengthen the Jewish demographic in Israel.”
Belong sponsored a portion of the Jerusalem Post Annual Conference 2024.www.jpost.com/AC24