Examples of our impact
Assisting the Escape of Yemenite Jews from Persecution
Herut North America US division facilitated the escape of ten Jews from Yemen after the murder of one of the prominent Jewish leaders of the Jewish community in Rayda, Yemen. Sa’id Ben Yisrael of the Jewish community leadership had been receiving death threats and needed to get out of Yemen.
Herut North America leaders were approached by The Yemenite Jewish Federation of America after having been refused help by other organizations. Our leaders understood the grave danger and brought the case to the Jewish Agency Aliyah department and facilitated the entire project by serving as a go between the Jewish community in Yemen and the Jewish Agency. This rescue mission opened the door for others, and since then most of the Jews of Yemen have been rescued.
Promoting Jewish Unity but Not Uniformity
Herut North America US Division builds Zionist communities in areas which have been “left out” of mainstream Jewish activities. There is a very large number of Jews that are unaffiliated to any Jewish community or are not accepted by mainstream Jewish communities. Herut North America has spent the last six years reaching out to these groups, offering Zionist education, leadership training and Aliyah assistance. Some of these boutique communities have become staunch Zionist activists, fighting for Israel and promoting unapologetic Zionism in their cities.
In the last three years Herut has established 20 new communities.
Building The Next Generation of Defiantly Zionist Leaders
Herut North America US Division serves as the only proactive Zionist movement whose goal it is to cultivate the next generation of US Zionist Leaders. In times where the general Jewish public is watering down their support for Israel, and sees Zionism as a “dirty word”, while even Pro Israel groups have become depressingly apologetic and only serve as weak response groups that criticize, condemn and react. Herut has taken a strong proactive approach.
Herut recruits and trains the finest leaders of all ages by using the most advanced educational techniques. Herut leaders have been trained by experts in the field of informal education from South America and Israel which have been adapted and tailored these methods to fit American Jewry.
Herut has run activities and Zionist training workshops for over 1000 Jewish leaders in the United States.
Pre-Aliyah Internship Program
Herut North America US Division runs an exclusive pre-Aliyah internship program for over 50 young adults per-year, enabling them to experience living in Israel and interning professionally in their field of choice on a government scholarship, all this without having to make any commitment.
Over 60% of these program participants choose to make Aliyah and some are even able to secure jobs before their arrival to Israel as citizens, a crucial factor in the success of the Aliyah.
Every Jew Has the Right to Come Home
Herut North America runs a pro-bono Aliyah assistance desk, supported by the Aliyah department of World Herut. Before making Aliyah there is a long list of bureaucratic actions which every applicant must complete. Unfortunately, not all applicants are “cookie cutter” candidates. Special cases are often refused or told to search for answers “on the website” by the authorities. In Herut we believe that every Jew has the right to come home and should be assisted in doing so. Herut North America has helped many applicants with “special needs” get the assistance they need. Anywhere from obtaining proof of Judaism, adoption papers, legal documents for disabled family members and much more.
These are cases that were turned down by the authorities due to their being “too complicated” and are now full-fledged citizens of the State of Israel. Each year Herut North America deals with over 25 Aliyah cases and is very happy that most of them are now living happily as Israeli citizens in the State of Israel .