As antisemitism in the United Kingdom continues to rise, and the government's policies become increasingly more anti-Israel, young British Jews are fighting back - by coming home to Israel.
Since Israel’s 76th Independence Day in May 2024, a record number of young Jews from the UK’s Bnei Akiva youth movement have either made Aliyah or committed to do so in the coming months; a total of 35 members and alumni of the movement, including 19 this summer alone — the highest figure recorded in recent years.
Bnei Akiva UK has long been the country’s largest Religious Zionist youth movement, aiming to strengthen Jewish identity and connection to Israel through weekly activities, Shabbatonim, and large-scale summer programs. This summer, 556 campers and staff attended the UK camp, while an additional 198 took part in a parallel camp in Israel.
Among those making Aliyah this year is Jacob Seitler, who first felt drawn to Israel as a child. Speaking to Arutz Sheva-Israel National News, he recounts: “The earliest I remember wanting to make Aliyah was around 12 years old, in a Jewish history lesson about the Holocaust. It struck me — what am I doing in England? If I make this choice, my children won’t have to. My motivation has developed over time, but at its core it’s about being part of the unfolding story of the Jewish people, not watching from the stands but playing on the pitch.”
Seitler, who recently completed his university degree, describes his feelings as “nervous excitement,” saying he looks forward most to celebrating the Jewish holidays in Israel while acknowledging that he will miss his family and friends in the UK.
For Josh Cohen, President of the World Union of Jewish Students (WUJS), Aliyah represents both personal conviction and professional mission. “I’ve always felt that Israel is where I want to build my future. I’m fortunate to live at a time when I can practice a Judaism that my ancestors prayed for centuries to experience. Moving here and working with WUJS felt like the perfect next step. I want to contribute to an Israel that is not just inward-looking, but a source of strength for Jewish communities throughout the diaspora.”
Cohen admits the transition is still sinking in, but he emphasized the excitement he feels and the joy of being surrounded by Jewish life daily — from the ease of keeping kosher to working with diverse Jewish communities. While he said he will miss his parents, his car, and even Amazon Prime, he called the move “a natural continuation of the values and commitments” he developed in Britain.
Michal Benjamin, a former national leader of Bnei Akiva UK, says her decision was shaped by a lifetime of Religious Zionist education. “For me, Israel is where Judaism exists in its most authentic form. Everything I was brought up believing pointed toward Aliyah, so I want to be part of building that future. After serving as mazkira (secretary) for Bnei Akiva, I felt the time had come to make the move and contribute not only to the people of Israel but to the people of Israel in the Land of Israel.” Benjamin expresses excitement about “planting roots in the Land of Israel,” while noting that she will deeply miss her family and friends in Britain.
Movement leaders described this wave of Aliyah as a testament to the success of Bnei Akiva’s mission. Tzachi Megnagy, World Bnei Akiva General Director, said: “This is the pinnacle of World Bnei Akiva’s success — to see such a large group of young people choosing to leave the familiar and comfortable behind and make Aliyah to Israel. It is a direct result of our shlichim’s dedicated work and our year-long educational programs that consistently instill a deep love for the Jewish people, the Torah, and the Land of Israel. Each and every one of them represents a story of hope, identity, and Zionist courage — proving that despite all the challenges, the dream is still alive and thriving.”
Rabbi Avichai Goodman, outgoing Rav Shaliach of Bnei Akiva UK and a student of the late Rabbi Chaim Druckman, emphasized the spiritual significance of this movement. “Aliyah is not simply a personal choice — it is the only real future for the Jewish people in the Diaspora. The Torah’s vision for a complete Jewish life can only be realised in the Land of Israel, where we live not as scattered individuals but as part of the Jewish people’s living body. To see so many Bnei Akiva UK graduates making Aliyah this summer, just as our shlichut comes to an end, fills me with indescribable joy and gratitude.”
His wife, Rabbanit Aviya Goodman, outgoing Bnei Akiva Shlicha, added: “We were privileged to be part of a remarkable movement that educates entire generations of young people towards true Zionism and a deep faith in the justice of our path in the State of Israel. Those who leave everything behind and join the people of Israel in the process of Redemption are, in truth, writing the very pages of the history of Israel and becoming an essential and inseparable part of it. How proud they should be of themselves.”
The surge in Aliyah from the UK comes amid a broader pattern of young Jews worldwide choosing to settle in Israel despite the security challenges facing the country. For the young men and women of Bnei Akiva UK, however, the decision is not one of escape, but of purpose — a conscious embrace of Jewish destiny in the Jewish homeland. As Rabbi Goodman noted, “In the Diaspora, we are like dry bones; in Israel, the bones are clothed with flesh and spirit once again.”