New name for old org

YOUTH Aliyah, a welfare organisation that provides a nurturing home for vulnerable and at-risk children from Israel and other countries, has changed its name to Youth Aliyah Child Rescue – Australia.

President of the organisation Harry Taibel explained the motive behind the rebrand.

“The problem in Australia has been the misconception of the name. So many people … assume that we are raising funds to send Australian youth on Aliyah. This makes a name change a necessity,” he said. The modification was spurred by the British office of Youth Aliyah recently taking on the title of Youth Aliyah Child Rescue.

Taibel added that “we are hoping to make it patently clear that we are raising funds for Jewish youth who are either sent to Israel because they are in danger (Russia and Ukraine in particular) or who have been rescued by Israeli authorities via the Ethiopian Jewish youth or more recently the Falash Mura – those whose Jewish identities are questionable but who see themselves as Jews having lived and intermarried with Ethiopia’s Jewish communities over many years”.

With the concerning rise in anti-Semitism throughout Europe, the dedicated efforts of all-important organisations such as Youth Aliyah may garner further traction.

Taibel commented, “Who would have imagined 75 years after the Holocaust, that Jews would again be fearful of living on European soil. It is possible … that Jewish youth will come in large numbers from France, in particular, and from smaller Jewish communities throughout Europe.”

Since its establishment in 1933, Youth Aliyah has been rescuing young Jewish people across the globe, providing young newcomers with a warm and supportive home in one of Youth Aliyah’s villages. Australia has been a long time supporter of Hadassah Neurim, a village north of Netanya that houses approximately 560 students in years 9-12, as well as Ben Yakir near Neurim.

SOPHIE DEUTSCH

Get The AJN Newsletter by email and never miss our top stories Free Sign Up