First Home in the Homeland

First Home in the Homeland provides young families with a warm home on a kibbutz for their first six or twelve months in Israel. Moving to Israel is the fulfilment of a dream. But many new immigrants experience many difficulties on arriving in Israel. Especially young families find it difficult to build a new social network, and in many cases become isolated because they do not speak the Hebrew language very well. For this group the Jewish Agency established the First Homeland programme in 1989. Immigrants from all over the world participate in this programme. The project is a cooperation between the Ministry of Immigration, local authorities and Kibbutzim in many parts of the country.

The Jewish Agency will carefully match olim (immigrants to Israel) with one of the 44 participating Kibbutzim in the Negev and the Galilee. For the first six months, the olim will study in Ulpan (school for the intensive study of Hebrew) either three or five mornings weekly, while their children attend schools on the kibbutz or nearby.

After completing Ulpan, they will have the option to extend their stay another half-year; most olim use that time to find employment in the area, continue in advanced Ulpan, or join vocational courses.

Costs to assist a family for one month in the First Home in the Homeland programme $765. 

Please support a family in the First Home in the Homeland programme. Any amount is welcome.

First Home in the Homeland

First Home in the Homeland

The Jewish people are returning home from the four corners of the earth. Once in Israel, it is important to integrate into society. For many, this is not an easy process, as it includes learning to speak Hebrew, finding employment and housing, and a school for the children. The ‘First Home in the Homeland’ program provides assistance in this integration process.

Since 1989, thousands of families have been welcomed to Israel by the First Home in the Homeland program, which was established by the Jewish Agency for Israel. The program is run in kibbutzim, where families live for their first 6 to 12 months in Israel and study the Hebrew language. They learn more about Jewish history and traditions and receive assistance with their integration into Israeli society. More than forty kibbutzim participate in this program.

The main purpose of First Home in the Homeland is to give Jewish immigrants a warm welcome. This is done by helping them learn to speak Hebrew and integrate in other ways. This will help them to become successful in Israel. Thousands of men, women and children have participated in this program and have now made Israel their home.

With your support, we can help many families to integrate successfully, so that they in turn can be a blessing to others. Costs to assist a family for one month in the First Home in the Homeland programme: € 230 or US $ 250.

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