You may have heard the word “Aliyah” but have no clue as to what it means. This word is used to describe the process of Jewish people who have been in exile in Diaspora making their way back to Israel. The word “Aliyah” is actually a derivative of another word “Lallot”, which translates to “to ascend” or “to go up.” When the term Aliyah is used, it is done so in a spiritual sense, being something positive. After all, the name for Aliyah is Oleh, which means the “one who goes up.”

In the past five years, the number of people making Aliyah has increased dramatically. Hearing about literally millions of Jewish people who have chosen to make Aliyah to Israel is common but when you consider the incredible desire for these people to hold onto their cherished identity, even when faced with strong assimilation in various countries, it is overwhelming. The decline of the Jewish people in Diaspora is ongoing yet we see the number of people moving to Israel increasing.

Now, the question becomes why someone would think about making Aliyah. First, it is highly recommended that anyone thinking about this should go to Israel to get a feel for the country, the people, and the customs. For college students, Israel provides some amazing opportunities. In fact, students can visit this country through birthright Israel programs that make traveling affordable.

For anyone making a first trip to Israel, it would be important to spend time learning about the country’s history by visiting various museums, archaeological sites, and other cultural locations throughout the country. An excellent way to experience Israel is to begin a trip at Golan Heights, which is located in the northern region, heading to Eilat in the southern part of Israel. The land varies, providing insight into the topography and beauty of this amazing land.

For instance, people can look out over the Judean Desert, having the chance to envision living in times when Hebrew patriarchs lived. People would find this experience heartwarming, as they realize that modern day Samaria and Judea, earlier called Shomron and Yehuda were the very places in Israel where distance relatives literally changed history due to a monotheistic belief.

Of course, along with seeing the vast land of Israel and learning about the history and culture, it would also be important for people to visit the modern stores and shops now in existence. After all, Israel is a modern country, one with large shopping centers, grocery stores, clothing stores, and more to be enjoyed. It is this unique combination of old and new that makes the journey to Israel so intriguing and influential.

People interested in making Aliyah can do so at any age although usually the younger the person the easier. After all, when moving to Israel, many individuals would need to learn a different language, eat different food, and adapt to an entirely new culture in a foreign land. For this reason, younger people find this kind of change more of an adventure, which is less stressful. Obviously, making Aliyah while a late teen would make the transition far easier than at age 50.

For people who are close to graduating from high school, Israel offers a number of top-rated universities. However, students could also choose to participate in a Yeshiva program if desired. Interestingly, when someone goes to Israel as an Oleh, the Jewish Agency actually has a means of financing college studies. For the first year of college, students complete an in-depth study for Hebrew, which is known as Ulpan. After the first year, students would then have the opportunity to pursue an education in whatever area wanted.

For adults making Aliyah that need to find employment, they could consider working for any of the top companies in a variety of fields such as computer, software, and internet, service-related jobs, personal jobs to include working as medical, educational, or financial professional, and more. Numerous career opportunities exist for anyone making Aliyah, which means people can choose a field in which they have interest or training.

Regarding the housing market, people will discover that in Israel, several communities have been established specifically for new Jewish immigrants. Although housing can be found in different parts of Israel, two of the most popular for Aliyah is Jordan Valley and Yesha. There, people would be able to choose from an apartment known as a Deera, a two-level apart or condo known as a Duplex, an attached house with a small yard called a Cottage, or a single-family home, which is referred to as a Villa.