‘It’s push and pull’: Why South African Jews are making aliyah in droves

GILLIAN KLAWANSKY: A lack of faith in their country’s future and less red tape than for other destinations has created a huge spike in arrivals at Ben-Gurion

ASK THE AVERAGE South African Jew where they’d go should they need to quickly leave the country and they’ll likely say Israel. While many countries require lengthy, complicated and sometimes exclusionary visa processes, especially for South Africans, Israel has long been seen as a welcoming safety net for Jews throughout the diaspora. Of late, South African Jews are increasingly jumping into its embrace.

August saw the highest number of South African olim (immigrants) arriving in Israel in a single month since 1977. This is according to Telfed – the South African Zionist Federation in Israel – which is struggling to keep up with the influx.

Indeed, by the end of 2021, it’s projected that more than 500 South Africans will have made aliyah. As a recent Haaretz article points out, that’s the largest number in any one year since the end of apartheid.

“It’s both push and pull,” says Liat Amar Arran, Jewish Agency Representative and Director of the Israel Centre, South Africa, reflecting on the reasons for the ever-increasing South African aliyah figures. “People are feeling that they or perhaps their kids have no future in South Africa – there are not enough options for them.”

This was the main motivation for Alan and Cachita Ferreira and their two sons, who left Johannesburg in April and now live in Ra’anana, 20km north of Tel Aviv. “The crime, corruption and future for our two children as white male South Africans all influenced our decision,” Cachita says.

“Our decision was 100 per cent made with our children in mind.  We needed to give them a better childhood and a better future with equal opportunities.”

Covid-19 and the resultant home affairs closures significantly delayed their move, as has been the case for many South Africans arriving in Israel this year.

While Amar Arran feels that Jewish families considering emigration are investigating all their options, strong Zionist leanings are often the deciding factor. “There’s a very Zionist community here,” she says.

The more South Africans make aliyah, the larger the expat community becomes, also making Israel an obvious choice. Families often fear loneliness in countries in which they don’t know anyone or in places like the US and Australia which are far away, making visits from family and friends less likely. 

In a 2019 survey on Jewish life in South Africa, released last year by the Institute for Jewish Policy Research and Kaplan Institute, 41 per cent of respondents said they were considering emigration within the next five years. Of that group, 51 per cent said they’d move to Israel. The next most popular destination was the UK, which appealed to just 12 per cent.

South African Jews are attracted to Israel (ahead of other countries) because it encourages aliyah and supports those who go through the process, Amar Arran says. It also offers months of funding and rental assistance as well as free studies, and massive scholarship programs.

As a result, people of all ages, from the secular to the religious, are making the move. “Every aliyah flight is like a small mix of the community,” she says. “Especially now with Covid-19 restrictions, it’s also easier to immigrate to Israel than to other countries. It’s becoming an increasingly relevant option.”

While more traditional English-speaking destinations such as the UK, Australia, the US and Canada have long attracted South Africans, the above-mentioned red tape surrounding immigration to these counties is often overwhelming. 

“Australia was my first choice,” says Sarah*, a single, Johannesburg-based lawyer in her mid-30s, who’s set to make aliyah within the next few months. “Yet, I don’t have enough points on my own to get in on a skilled visa. For a state-sponsored visa, I’d need to study part-time for two years.

“This would involve massive costs and no guarantees because by the time I’d finish, a solicitor may or may not still be on the list of state-sponsored professions.”

Sarah also contemplated moving to the UK where she could have obtained an ancestral visa but, put off by the country’s notoriously bad weather, she decided against it. Israel, which is home to close family members, emerged as an obvious solution.

“I’ve been to Israel five times, and I always wanted to live there but I was scared to because of the language difference,” she says. “I’m still nervous about that but I’ve been doing online Hebrew lessons. Most importantly, Israel is a country that wants you. It’s not like other places which do everything to keep you out. Israel helps you throughout your aliyah journey.”

While she loves South Africa, has a secure job and enjoys a high standard of living, Sarah has always wanted to live abroad. She’s also tired of the country’s corruption, intermittent electricity and water issues and security concerns.

“I feel a pull to Israel, where you can walk down the streets and leave your doors unlocked without being afraid. It seems like you can live life a bit more. There’s also more Jewish men for me to meet,” she laughs.

The Ferreiras also investigated other countries before deciding on Israel. “The grass is not always greener on the other side, and we knew that there would never be a perfect solution when it came to leaving our country and family,” Cachita says.

“Our decision to come to Israel was based on certain criteria in each of the countries popular with South African emigrants. In the end we felt that the growing antisemitism was a huge factor in shying away from countries where unfortunately it’s becoming more and more prevalent.”

While the support for olim is there, people need to go to Israel with their eyes open, cautions Vanessa Levy Fisher, a South African who’s lived in Israel for the past 11 years. Levy Fisher is part of an unofficial group of expats who welcome fellow South African olim to Israel, providing meals and general advice on adapting to Israeli living.

Aside from Zionism and family connections, Levy Fisher says other South Africans are attracted to the country because it offers a quick entry process and serves as a possible stepping stone to other countries.

“I also have South African friends who are encouraging their kids to come to Israel through the lone soldier program because they see it as a way of getting out of the country with a bit of a safety net,” she says. “But that can be lonely and very hard.”

Any form of aliyah is difficult, she continues. “It’s expensive to live here, there’s a completely different mindset and it takes adjustment.” Those with idealistic ideas of life in Israel are in for a rude awakening and some have been known to lose everything. Others have returned to South Africa.

“I don’t think you can treat aliyah any differently to any other form of immigration. You’re leaving behind people you love, your networks, basically everything that you know. The great thing about Israel is that you can completely reinvent yourself but regardless of whether or not you want to do that, you’ve got to start from scratch.”

Life in Israel can be amazing, she adds, but you need to do your research, come with realistic expectations, and hit the ground running from day one.

*name changed

Photo: The Ferreira family; From left to right, Ethan, Cachita, family friend Yair Fellous, Jedd (front) and Alan