Moishe Alexander and Canadian Funding Corporation Charitable Donations 2009 » Nefesh

Israeli Economy a Draw for North American Immigrants

admin — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 15:18:52 +0000

by Rachel Abrams

(IsraelNN.com)

The ideological bottom line may remain the same, but those looking to Aliyah may finally have large financial incentives to cross the ocean.

“For the first time in history, the Israeli economy is looking better than the American economy”, says Danny Oberman, executive vice president of operations at Nefesh B’Nefesh. A leading organization which finds and assists Jews wishing to make Aliyah [immigration to Israel], the group has reported an average of 25 new inquiries each day from people looking to begin the application process. “We are seeing an unprecedented level of interest from North America,” says Oberman, “and it’s not just people who have lost their jobs but people who don’t see a serious upside in the near future.”

Click here to hear interview with Oberman.

For young singles and couples, the advantages afforded by Israel’s current economic edge are especially appealing. The job market is wider for recent university graduates, and families with young children can find more affordable Jewish or college education in Israel than back in the U.S. and Canada. Israeli health insurance, free for between the first six to 12 months for new arrivals and amounting to $50 to $100 a month after that, is also a cheaper option than many health insurance plans in the U.S.

Immigrants also are given a discount on car purchases and are eligible for free education if they are under the age of 27. For those generating income from overseas, no taxes are taken for the first 10 years of residence. These lower costs, combined with an overly burdened and strained American economy, are enticing more North American Jews than ever to emigrate.

In 2008, Nefesh B’Nefesh reported that 3,000 immigrants to Israel were from North America. This year, the organization is expecting upwards of 4,000.

“What we’re seeing is…people who had considered Aliyah, people who had visited Israel in the past, people who had a connection, but who stayed in North America because they were doing well; they were comfortable,” says Oberman. Now, however, with Israel faring considerably better in the global economic crisis, families are in a better position than before to line up their ideological and fiduciary concerns.

“Anybody who has visited here has seen that the opportunities here, and the ways kids are brought up and the social environment is different than North America. It’s a healthy environment… For anyone who’s looking for a different set of values, Israel’s definitely an option.”

http://lifeafter911.blogspot.com/2009/07/israeli-economy-draw-for-north-american.html

reviewed by Moishe Alexander, CFC CEO

Moishe Alexander is a proud supporter of Yeshivas Nefesh Dovid

admin — Wed, 06 May 2009 16:33:05 +0000

About: Yeshivas Nefesh Dovid
An international yeshiva for the deaf and hard of hearing.
Yeshivas Nefesh Dovid is the only one of its kind in the world. Geared specifically to the challenges and needs of deaf and hard of hearing students. Vibrant and strong leadership is provided by role models, who are either deaf or hard of hearing themselves.
Location: Yeshivas Nefesh Dovid
Address:
77 Stormont Ave.
Toronto, Ontario
M5N 2C3
Tel/Fax:
Tel. (416) 784-5751,
Fax (416) 783-8239
Contacts:
Rabbi Chaim Kakon (Rosh Hayeshiva) Tel. (416) 784-5751

Moishe Alexander is a proud supporter of Yeshivas Nefesh Dovid (YND)

admin — Mon, 04 May 2009 18:39:43 +0000

The first Jewish high school of its kind in the world, Yeshivas Nefesh Dovid (YND), founded in 2001, channels the knowledge of Torah into the hearts, minds and lives of deaf and hard-of-hearing young men. YND, with its sterling secular educational program, is a valuable support system for this population throughout the global Jewish community. YND accepts young men in their teens from yeshivos, Jewish Day Schools, and public schools and addresses all the emotional and academic challenges that those with hearing loss typically deal with on a daily basis regardless of mode of communication.

A unique aspect of the program is the presence of role models who are deaf or hard-of-hearing themselves, including Rabbi Chaim Tzvi Kakon, the Dean and Rosh Yeshiva, and co-founder Dr. Hart Bressler, MD. In addition to trained and qualified rebbeim and teachers, sign language interpreting services, speech pathology, audiology services and an array of recreational activities all complement the program. Upon graduation, the students receive an internationally recognized Ontario Secondary Diploma. Since its inception, YND’s current home base at the Yeshiva Gedolah of Toronto only serves to further integrate the students with hearing peers and the community at large.

Rabbi Kakon earned his Master’s Degree in Talmudical Law and s’micha (rabbinical ordination) from Ner Israel Rabbinical College of Baltimore, Maryland. He also holds a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Maryland. As a licensed therapist, Rabbi Kakon provided clinical therapy services for several years.

While in Baltimore, he also founded and directed the only overnight camp for deaf and hard-of-hearing Jewish adolescent boys at Ner Israel Campus for seven summers. The success of the program and the necessity for a year-around education for this population resulted in Rabbi Kakon and his family’s relocation to Toronto to co-found YND.

Rabbi Kakon, a descendant of the Ropshitzer Rebbe and a ninth generation descendant of the Baal Shem Tov, is a charismatic teacher whose unique experiences and achievements inspire people from all backgrounds and walks of life.

Dr. Bressler, Canada’s first deaf medical physician, is an assistant professor at the University of Toronto, Faculty of Medicine. As a full-time family physician, he also maintains a clinic that specializes in chronic pain management.

A past president of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Hearing Society, Dr. Bressler has spoken widely for both professional and lay audiences on topics dealing with deafness and hearing loss. He is uniquely qualified to provide support from a medically objective perspective as well as personal insight into the myriad of issues that impact those with deafness and their families. He studied at Yeshivas Ohr Somayach in Jerusalem and Yeshiva University of Los Angeles.

Dr. Bressler was instrumental in working with Rabbi Kakon to establish the Yeshiva in Toronto.