A unique, relatively new program, Babait Beyahad / At Home-Together aims at taking an old concept of supporting and befriending new immigrants, and building a network that includes the extended family of Israel. Jointly established by the Jewish Agency, the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption and the Union of Local Authorities, Babait Beyahad has been adopted as a national project with the goal of meeting the challenge of integrating new olim into Israeli society.

The program connects Israelis and veteran olim with new olim throughout the country, assisting to integrate the new olim into Israeli society and encouraging a long-term relationship based on equality and mutual care. To date over 20,000 families have joined the program, together with 1,700 task volunteers who assist the new olim in specific aspects of their absorption process.

Program Goals

• To ensure a quick and smooth integration of new olim into Israeli society, through the creation of social ties, for a joint social future. 
• To maintain continuous and direct ties between Israeli families (sabras or veteran olim) and olim families, students or lone soldiers.
• To contribute to a feeling of belonging amongst olim families and to assist in their integration in their new surroundings.
• To instill the value of integrating new olim as a norm in Israeli society.
• To support the idea that successful absorption of new olim will naturally lead to aliyah encouragement amongst friends and family abroad.

Babait Beyahad is Contagious! Babait Beyahad sparked a wonderful friendship between the Mishkal family from Haifa and the Goldmans, immigrants from Russia, which recently resulted in Rita Goldman "contracting the volunteering virus”. She takes pride in being a Babait Beyahad volunteer, working with lone soldiers.

Factual Information

Connections between olim and Israelis (surveys 2004 – 2005):

• Two years after their aliyah only 14% of olim have frequent contact with Israelis.
• 66% of a new oleh’s friends are mainly or only new olim.
• 45% of olim feel that it is important or quite important to have Israeli friends.
• 33% of olim feel that they have nowhere to turn in times of difficulty.
• 40% of olim feel that they are not wanted in Israel.

Views of veteran olim and Israelis towards new olim (survey 2003):

85% feel strongly that aliyah is vital to the existence of the State of Israel. 60% are definitely willing or willing to befriend new olim. 40% are definitely willing or willing to have a new oleh as his/her superior at work.

Employment difficulties among new olim (survey 2004 – 2005):

• Two years following their aliyah only 30% of new olim are employed in a position similar to the one they held prior to aliyah.
• 60% of olim were employed in academic, technical or managerial positions abroad; 25% are employed in similar positions in Israel.
• 37% received help from family members or friends in finding employment. Only 16% found employment through The National Employment Service and 11% through private manpower agencies.