Babait Beyahad aims to ease the possible pains of absorption for the growing flow of immigrants from the West.

Despite Israel’s turbulent summer, planeloads of new immigrants continuued to land in Ben Gurion Airport— from North America, France and Great Britain. In fact, according to Jewish Agency statistics, close to 3,500 new immigrants arrived during the period of the war, most of them from the West.

“In one day, 650 olim from France arrived,” says Ariel Di-Porto “It was a mixed bunch, many young families, singles and students.” Their destinations were not atypical for a French immigrant - Ashdod, Jerusalem, Netanya and Ra’anana. “Aside from two families who stayed in the center of the country with relatives, the families who had planned to settle in Acco and the north went right ahead with their plans.”

The immigration and Absorption Department, which provided the infrastructure for the processing of these thousands of immigrants, immediately stepped forward with programs to ease their absorpttion. The Babait Beyahad / At Home-Together Program, which pairs veteran Israelis with new immigrants has begun matching families prior to their aliyah. Jacqueline Arluk, National Volunteer Coordinator explains,“we pair thousands of new immigrants with veteran Israelis. Even for those immigrants who are more established, having a mentoring family puts them one throw of the dice ahead in the absorption game. In the long run, everyone wins .”

Shelley Sharon’s ten-year-old daughter brought home a note from school asking if families wanted to mentor new immigrants. “It seemed like a nice idea,” said Shelly, “so we asked for a family with children of similar ages.” On the other side of the Atlantic, whilst filling out the reams of paperwork necesssary for aliyah, Mark and Iris Schwartz of Toronto were asked by their shaliach if they were interested in a buddy family when they got to Israel. Mark, a professor of business at York University and Iris, a teacher, “kind of nodded obediently,” without really knowing what it would mean. After their arrival in Ra’anana this summer, they have learned what it means. It is another pillar of support, and another contact in a new town. “Our daughters play together, and I play tennis with Jose,” smiles Mark. Iris adds, “there were all kinds of small things for which I just called Shelley for help - fixing the cell phone, finding a hairdresser, a reliable store to buy electrical appliances.”

By channeling the good intentions of thousands of veteran Israelis into constructive and mutually enriching relationships, the absorption of Western immigrants is optimisitc.