Hundreds of Olim gathered in different parts of Israel Thursday night for traditional Thanksgiving dinners, hosted by Nefesh B’Nefesh.
The flagship dinner hosted more than 250 Lone Soldiers and Lone Bnot Sherut, at the Nefesh B’Nefesh Aliyah campus in Jerusalem. The dinner was a collaboration of the Nefesh B’Nefesh-FIDF Lone Soldiers Program, the Ori Program for Lone Bnot Sherut, the Michael Levin Base, the Beit Shemesh and Karnei Shomron communities, and the Beer Bazaar franchise.
“It was so heartwarming to see so many Lone Soldiers and Bnot Sherut celebrating together,” said Co-Founder and Executive Director of Nefesh B’Nefesh Rabbi Yehoshua Fass. “It was wonderful to provide a taste of home for these young men and women who give so much to our nation and homeland.”
“Opening our doors less than two years ago, just as corona had hit, it’s a tremendous achievement for us to be able to co-host with Nefesh B’Nefesh hundreds of Lone Soldiers and Lone Bnot Sherut this Thanksgiving,” said Bonnie Rosenbaum, Co-Director of The Michael Levin Base. “We are thrilled that so many can benefit from The Michael Levin Base, proving it is an essential resource for this community. We would like to thank Nefesh B’Nefesh for this opportunity to collaborate and together support our Lone Soldiers and Lone Bnot Sherut.”
Additional events took place at the NBN Tel Aviv Hub, as well as in Haifa and Be’er Sheva as part of the KKL–NBN Go Beyond joint initiative. The Olim who attended enjoyed traditional Thanksgiving turkey and seasonal side dishes, a taste of this nostalgic holiday.
These Thanksgiving dinners are part of Nefesh B’Nefesh’s return to in-person events, helping Olim acclimate, integrate, and thrive in Israel through its post-Aliyah programming.