By Rabbi Yair Hoffman for The Five Towns Jewish Times
Google was founded by Larry Page and Sergei Brin. NBN was founded by Rabbi Yehoshua Fass and Toni Gelbart. Google was founded in 1998. NBN was founded in 2001. Google’s goal was to present the world’s information to the user. Nefesh B’Nefesh’s goal was to increase Aliyah from North America and England to Israel.
Both organizations have succeeded beyond anyone’s imagination.
The secret to Nefesh B’Nefesh’s success seems to be in its innovation.
On its charter flight last week, some of the new Olim observed that the TSA processing was not the one that they normally use whenever they fly. “Yes,” remarked the TSA employee. “We opened this processing just for the charter flight.”
Google once had a motto called, “Focus on the User and all else will follow.” Somehow, Nefesh B’Nefesh was able to contact the higher ups at the TSA and arrange for the smoothest processing this reporter has ever seen.
The ceremony at the airport exemplified that ideal as well. The ceremony focused on the remarkable move that the Olim were embarking upon, but also focused on their physical needs too with cake, sandwiches, chocolate mints and plenty of drinks.
The flight had a huge number of “Lone Soldiers” aboard as well. All were wearing specially designed tee-shirts in Tzahal Green that said future Tzahal soldier, with the Nefesh B’Nefesh emblem too. The tee-shirts helped to imbue these young people with a special sense of pride. The lone soldiers on the flight made up some 25% of the flight and with 850 lone soldiers from North America now serving in the IDF – will eventually be some 6% of that special group.
Another aspect of their innovation was the fact that NBN somehow was able to videotape Prime Minister Netanyahu to give the new Olim a special message. In a very cute play on Woodie Gunthrie’s lyrics, Bibi Netanyahu told the new Olim, “This land is your land..” I quizzed a number of the new Olim about it, but perhaps they were so caught up in the experience of Aliyah that they did not catch the reference.
Upon deplaning thousands of Israelis welcomed the new arrivals, with signs, hugs, and song. “VeShavu Banim Ligvulam –And the sons returned to their borders” – touched everyone’s hearts. A picture with NBN founders and the Lone soldiers was also taken.
At the ceremony in Lod airport, Rabbi Fass read a letter from one of the younger Olim, a teen-age girl from Atlanta who was inspired by Idan Raichel’s eclectic and innovative Jewish music. Rabbi Fass arranged for Idan to provide a musical welcome for the new Olim.
NBN Co-founder Tony Gelbart also addressed the new arrivals and said that he had to tear up his remarks because the previous speakers had already made his points. Instead, he pulled out an electric guitar. All this highlights NBN’s innovative approach to everything.
The flight was facilitated in cooperation with Israel’s Ministry of Aliyah & Immigrant Absorption, the Jewish Agency for Israel, Keren Kayemeth Le’Israel, JNF-USA, and Tzofim-Garin Tzabar.
How was the luggage of the new Olim dealt with? Once again, remarkable innovation. Tani Kramer, an NBN higher-up plays on an American type football team in Israel. The members of the football team all volunteered in the luggage transports.
Nefesh B’Nefesh arranged for more sandwiches at the very exit of the airport and special door-to-door transportation for each of their Olim to their final destination. “Focus on the User and all else will follow.”
But that wasn’t all. The neighborhoods where the Olim were to arrive were also informed and special welcome committees and signs were made at the end-destinations. The Reiss family, aboard last week’s flight got just such a home-made sign welcome in their new home in Moreshet. The signs and the singing touched them deeply.
It is no wonder that Nefesh B’Nefesh has revolutionized the entire notion of Aliyah. Since its inception, NBN has been instrumental in the Aliyah of close to 50,000 Olim.
The most poignant words of the ceremony were expressed by Rabbi Fass both on the plane and at the ceremony at Lod Airport, “Bruchim Habaim – Habaita.”
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One Response
NBN has “succeeded beyond anyone’s imagination”? There is the barest trickle of Aliyah from the US (according to the learned author some 50,000 olim in 14 years or some 3,600 olim a year from a country with millions of Jews). Nor has the rate of Aliyah risen much since the ‘bad old days’ when the Sochnut handled Aliyah from the US (at a fraction of the cost to the Israeli government). But, certainly, NBN gives those few Americans who make Aliyah a better experience than the Sochnut did and that counts for something.