Today, Wednesday, January 14, 2026, a dedicated conference was held for Doctors who made Aliyah to Israel during the past year, initiated by the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration and in cooperation with all the bodies partnering in the program. The conference aimed to accelerate the integration of doctors into the healthcare system, and included meetings with potential employers, presentation of employment tracks, and professional guidance regarding the licensing and medical expertise recognition procedures in Israel. The event was held in the presence of the Minister of Aliyah and Integration, Ofir Sofer.
Data from the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration shows that in the past year, 346 doctors from former Soviet Union countries, 93 doctors from the USA and Canada, 53 doctors from France, 23 doctors from South America, and the rest from other countries around the world made Aliyah to Israel. Many of the doctors have already been placed in various medical roles in hospitals, health funds, and healthcare organizations across the country, including Ichilov, Hadassah, Sheba, Shaare Zedek, Rambam, Soroka, Wolfson, HaEmek, Laniado, and Barzilai.
Concurrently, the Ministry’s Doctors Administration is accompanying additional doctors in various stages of the Aliyah and integration process – some are preparing to make Aliyah, and some have already arrived in Israel. Over a thousand doctors who made Aliyah in recent years have already received assistance with licensing and expertise recognition and have been integrated into actual employment.
As part of the effort to strengthen healthcare services in the periphery, and with the assistance of the Tikva Administration and the Ministry of the Negev, Galilee and National Resilience, grants totaling hundreds of thousands of shekels were awarded during the past year to doctors who chose to work and reside in the Negev and Galilee and engage in needed professions. In total, grants amounting to approximately NIS 5 million were distributed to 15 doctors who met the established criteria. The ministries note their intention to expand the program and encourage more doctors to choose the periphery as a professional and residential destination.
Minister of Aliyah and Integration, Ofir Sofer: “The increase in the number of doctors choosing to come to Israel is a testament to a shared vision and the deep connection between Jewish identity, profession, and mission. Over a thousand doctors who made Aliyah in the past two years, during wartime, are expressing confidence in the State of Israel and its healthcare system and are choosing to build their future in Israel. This is an influx of people who bring excellence and experience, choosing not just a career, but joining a national effort to strengthen the healthcare system. The Ministry of Aliyah and Integration is committed to this issue and will continue in 2026 to open doors, remove barriers, and expand the initiative to additional countries. We will continue to invest at every stage, from initial interest to full integration, to make the Aliyah of doctors a driver of national growth.”
Dr. Carly Debinski is a pediatric neurologist who recently made Aliyah to Israel with her family from Australia. She currently works at Sheba Medical Center. She says: “The transition to a new work culture, language, team, and new clinical approach takes time and is not without its challenges. Especially transitioning at this point in my career where I had established myself in my profession and starting from scratch was not easy. I am grateful for a wonderful team of new colleagues who are supporting me through this transition and I feel fortunate that I can contribute to the country in this way. The guidance I received from the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration assisted in the application process and enabled an easier search for employment opportunities, which was more complicated in the past. I hope more doctors considering Aliyah will be able to access these valuable resources to ease the process.”
Minister of the Negev, Galilee and National Resilience, Yitzhak Wasserlauf: “The joining of hundreds of doctors who made Aliyah to Israel is tremendous news for the healthcare system, especially in the Negev and Galilee. Together with the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, the Ministry of Health, and the Nefesh B’Nefesh organization, we are removing barriers and accelerating their integration, and we will continue to expand grants for doctors who choose to work and reside in the periphery as part of strengthening Israel’s national resilience.”
Co-founder and CEO of Nefesh B’Nefesh, Rabbi Yehoshua Fass: “Nefesh B’Nefesh is proud to lead the national program for the Aliyah of doctors together with various government ministries and the Jewish Agency, by paving the licensing processes, simplifying them, and making them accessible to doctors interested in making Aliyah to Israel, alongside continuous efforts for their optimal integration. The doctors making Aliyah are full partners in building the country and their contribution is crucial for saving lives. In 2026 as well, the initiative will continue to prove that a strong partnership between the public and third sectors is the best way to solve Israel’s national challenges.”
In the photo above, from right: Eran Berkovich, Deputy Director General for Aliyah at the Jewish Agency; Ayelet Greenbaum-Arizon, Senior Deputy Director General for Strategic and Economic Planning at the Ministry of Health; Yochai Mali, Director General of the Ministry of the Negev and Galilee; Dr. Efrat Afalo, Head of the Doctors Administration at the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration; MK Ofir Sofer, Minister of Aliyah and Integration; Adv. Avichai Kahana, Director General of the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration; Moshe Bar Siman Tov, Director General of the Ministry of Health; Rabbi Yehoshua Fass, Co-CEO of Nefesh B’Nefesh; Moshe Pines, Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration.
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