Is there an age limit for Aliyah?

The answer is (almost always*) no. Thank you for attending our Tedx Talk.

That said, let’s consider the query more seriously. Anyone who is eligible to make Aliyah under the Law of Return can immigrate to Israel at any age. The Law of Return states that every Jew, their children and grandchildren, and the spouses of Jews and their children and grandchildren, is entitled to make Aliyah and become an Israeli citizen.

However; while there is no legal age limit when it comes to immigration to Israel, and (unlike, for example, Canada) Israel does not have a “point program” that prioritizes younger immigrants, there are certainly practical issues when immigrating to Israel at an older age. Furthermore, certain immigrant benefits are in fact limited by age. As you make aliyah at an older age, you will lose eligibility to for certain absorption basket rights (as detailed below) or will not longer be allowed to volunteer for the IDF.

* There are specific circumstances in which one may be eligible to make Aliyah as a minor but not as an adult. For example, if the spouse of an Israeli has children from a prior relationship, they may immigrate to Israel with their family and eventually naturalize as Israeli citizens when of minor age, but lose that right as adults. The same is true for the grand-grandchildren of Jews, who can only make Aliyah with their family as minors. Conversely, it is also possible that the grandchildren of Jews will lose the right to make aliyah entirely in the future.

Which rights can older Olim lose out?

New immigrants are no longer eligible to student authority assistance during their studies between the ages of 27 and 35, depending on the study program they wish to apply to, as detailed in the link above. Older Olim only receive a Bituach Leumi old age pension from Israel if they moved to Israel before the age of 62 (for men) or the age of retirement (for women).

Another issue for older Olim is that Israel’s National Insurance and HMO (Kupat Holim) systems only begin to cover new immigrants after they’ve spent 6 months in Israel. Those who are need of constant access to health services have to rely on private medical care during that period, or even avoid immigrating to Israel altogether.

Practical matters:

Though immigrants can make it to the very top of Israeli society, Olim who made it to Israel at a young age have a clear advantage over older immigrants. Younger olim have a better grip on the intricacies of the Hebrew language. They have often served in the IDF, and had a chance to make lifelong connections.

In general, the younger one’s age is when they immigrate, the more immersed they are in Israeli society and the further they are likely to go. However, even older immigrants can have their place, apart from Israeli society. For instance, Ministry of Absorption employees often complain about pensioners who arrive in Israel just in time to be eligible for an old age pension, and then spend just under six months per year (not enough to lose their resident status) in another country, where that pension goes a lot farther.

And of course, there are people who wish to spend their last years in the Holy Land and be buried there – to whom any Aliyah request made while they can still handle the flight is appropriate.