ANU marks Aliyah Day with a tribute to Jewish dining, memories, traditions

Now in its third year, the museum’s “Oleh Oleh” initiative is organized with Nefesh B’Nefesh, the Nadav Foundation, local authorities from around Israel, and organizations that support immigrants.

ANU – Museum of the Jewish People in Tel Aviv will celebrate Aliyah Day on Sunday, October 18, beginning at 5 p.m., with an evening of food, films, music, and conversation dedicated to immigrants and their contributions to Israeli society.

Aliyah Day, established by the Knesset in 2016, recognizes the importance of Jewish immigration to Israel and honors immigrants’ contributions to the country.

Now in its third year, the museum’s “Oleh Oleh” initiative is organized with Nefesh B’Nefesh, the Nadav Foundation, local authorities from around Israel, and organizations that support immigrants.

New arrivals and longtime residents are invited to participate in activities in English, Spanish, Russian, and French.

This year’s theme is the Jewish and Israeli dining table, exploring how food connects people with their memories, traditions, and communities.

ANU offers guided tours, film screenings

A market featuring kosher food stalls, games, and activities will run from 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Classic films and rare archival footage documenting immigration journeys, drawn from the museum’s Oster Visual Documentation Center, will screen from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Two rounds of guided museum tours, offered between 6:15 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. in Hebrew, English, French, Russian, and Spanish, will explore the connections between Jewish food, memory, culture, and identity.

From 8 p.m. to 9 p.m., immigrants from different countries and generations will gather around tables to share their experiences of making Israel their home.

A live performance and folk dancing will conclude the evening from 9 p.m. to 10 p.m.

ANU CEO Oded Revivi said the event recognizes immigrants as partners in shaping Israeli society.

Rabbi Yehoshua Fass, co-founder and executive director of Nefesh B’Nefesh, emphasized that integration continues beyond arrival, through friendships, social connections, and opportunities to develop a sense of belonging.

Admission includes all activities. Food at the market is sold separately.

For more information, go to the ANU website at anumuseum.org.il/he/events/olim-event