Israel Celebrates Immigrants' Day, a Decade-Old National Holiday

Israel marks its youngest national holiday, Immigrants' Day (Yom Ha'Aliyah), which was established ten years ago to recognize the crucial role of immigration in the nation's existence. In 2026, the holiday's Jewish date will fall on October 18th. The Knesset officially designated Yom Ha'Aliyah in 2016, aiming to honor the "highest value of aliyah as the foundation of the State of Israel's existence." The chosen date is the seventh day of the Hebrew month of Cheshvan (Zayin Cheshvan).

The selection of Zayin Cheshvan was symbolic. Initially, April 10th was proposed, commemorating the Israelites' crossing of the Jordan River into the Promised Land, as mentioned in the Torah. However, this date falls during the Passover school holidays, making large-scale celebrations and educational events difficult. The date was then shifted to Zayin Cheshvan, which falls within the week when the Torah portion "Lech Lecha" is read. This portion recounts the first aliyah, Abraham's journey to the Land of Israel at God's command.

Modern aliyah to the Land of Israel began in the late 19th century, following pogroms in the Russian Empire. Since then, Israel has experienced several major waves of immigration, most notably the "Great Aliyah" of the 1990s, which brought nearly a million Jews from the former Soviet Union. A more recent significant wave began in 2022, following the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine war, with approximately 100,000 immigrants arriving in the last three years, primarily from Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus.

Immigrants' Day is observed with special sessions in the Knesset and by government agencies involved in immigrant absorption and integration. Schools and the military hold lectures and lessons on the topic. The President and Prime Minister typically acknowledge the contribution of immigrants to Israel's prosperity on this day.