From Paris to Jerusalem: Nili Naouri and the Grassroots Movement Inspiring Mass Aliyah from France

In the months that have passed since the beginning of the “Swords of Iron” war, there has been a sharp rise in the number of Jews immigrating to Israel from France. According to data from the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration and the Jewish Agency, from the outbreak of the war until the middle of last month, immigration files were opened for about 6,440 people from France, compared with about 1,057 files in the same period last year. More than 800 new immigrants arrived from France during this time.

In December, Nili Naouri established the “Lech Lecha” program, whose goal is to encourage the aliyah of French Jewry, in parallel with the work of the official organizations operating in this field. Naouri, married and a mother of three living in Jerusalem, made aliyah from Paris about 31 years ago at the age of only 18. In a special interview, she shares her story and explains what led her to devote herself to this national mission.

“Living the Ingathering of the Exiles”

“I received my high school diploma directly from inspectors of the French Ministry of Education,” Naouri recalls. “As I stood in line with the other graduates waiting to receive the long-awaited certificate, my name was finally called and I went up to the stage. The moment the diploma was placed in my hands, I turned to the audience in the school hall and said with great excitement: ‘I am making aliyah to Israel.’ In other words, that diploma was actually my ‘plane ticket’ to the Land of Israel.”

What do you remember from your aliyah to Israel?

“I felt wonderful, as if I was finally living the unique history of our generation, ‘the beginning of the flowering of our redemption’. I began studying in the Hebrew University’s pre-academic program for foreign students on Mount Scopus. With me were immigrants from the United States, Russia, France, Spain, and Argentina. I thought to myself: ‘Here I am, living the ingathering of the exiles. I have a tremendous privilege to live in the generation of the return to Zion after 2,000 years of exile.’ Later on, I studied law at Bar Ilan University and completed my degree there.”

A Family Rooted in Zionism and Public Activity

Even before founding “Lech Lecha,” Nili was active in encouraging large-scale aliyah from France, alongside promoting settlement and the application of Jewish sovereignty over all parts of the Land of Israel. Among other activities, she was a central activist in the organization “Israel Forever,” founded by her father, Jack Kupfer.

“The goals of the organization my father founded in 2016 were to encourage aliyah to Israel, especially from France, because we clearly see today that there is no future for Jews there; to mobilize French-speaking Zionist forces for the benefit of Israel; to promote sovereignty over all parts of the Land of Israel; and to fight for free Jewish access to the holy sites of the Jewish people.”

She describes how her father educated Jewish youth in France toward love of Israel, Jewish tradition, history, national identity, and aliyah. After the family immigrated to Israel, both she and her father became active in the Sovereignty Movement, working in partnership on national and ideological initiatives.

Activism for Sovereignty and Security

Naouri highlights, among other efforts, activity in support of the immediate application of Israeli sovereignty over the Jordan Valley.

“The valley belongs to us by virtue of God’s promise to the people of Israel in the Torah and the Bible. There is also broad national consensus that sovereignty must be applied there for security reasons. Full and free security control and Jewish settlement in the Jordan Valley are essential to prevent the establishment of a terror state on our eastern border.”

In recent years, she has also taken part in organizing the Tisha B’Av night march around the walls of Jerusalem, expressing both national commitment and longing for redemption.

סמינריון העלייה של תוכנית 'לך לך' בצרפת, מרץ 2024. באמצע: ראש מועצת שומרון, יוסי דגן. מימינו: נילי נאהורי

How did it all begin for you? How did a Jewish girl in Paris in the early 1990s dream of the moment she would get on a plane and make aliyah?

“It all started at home. A warm, deeply Zionist Jewish home, idealistic and strongly oriented toward public service. My father was born in a displaced persons camp in Germany in 1946. His parents fled from Poland and Russia to Uzbekistan during the Holocaust, and thus survived. My mother, originally from Tunisia, immigrated to France as a child and became a lecturer in French language and literature. My parents met through Betar activities in Paris, and their first outing together was to a demonstration calling for the release of Soviet Jewry.”

Her father held prominent roles in Zionist organizations and maintained close ties with Israeli leaders. But, she emphasizes, the core of his life was family and the education of his children to love the Land of Israel, the Jewish people, Torah, and Jewish history.

Educating Youth to Love the People, the Land, and the Torah

At age 14, Nili joined the Betar youth movement in Paris, later becoming a counselor and eventually head of the Paris branch. “I had the privilege of educating many Jewish youth toward love of Israel, the Land of Israel, the Torah and the Bible, and fulfilling that love through aliyah.”

Over the years, she and her father initiated activities in Judea and Samaria to deepen the connection of French Jews to the land and its heritage — including organizing large visits and solidarity marches in Hebron.

קמפיין ישראל לנצח למען החיילים, דצמבר 2023. 95 טונות ציוד הובאו לארץ וחולקו בין בסיסי צהל על ידי מתנדבי העמותה

Why “Lech Lecha” Was Founded

“We are very involved in public outreach, including on social networks. We publish a magazine for Jewish communities in France, speaking about the dangers of assimilation and the urgency of aliyah. We also explain current issues in Israel that French speakers sometimes find difficult to understand.”

What changed recently, she says, is the strategic coordination with national political figures in Israel to promote a large-scale aliyah framework.

Why is immediate encouragement of aliyah from France so necessary now, specifically during wartime?

“After the horrific massacre on Simchat Torah, the sense of belonging of French Jews to Israel and the Jewish people has greatly intensified. At the same time, antisemitism in France has grown dramatically, to be open, violent, and widespread.”

Naouri describes severe incidents of intimidation, attacks, and fear that have forced Jews to hide their identity in public spaces. Many families live in constant anxiety, particularly in neighborhoods with strong Muslim populations.

“Today, the situation is unbearable. Jews fear displaying Jewish symbols, fear leaving their homes, fear for their children. The reality is harsh, and it has worsened since the war.”

ג'ק קופפר ז''ל ביום חברון הראשון, 1987

“There Is No Jewish Future in France”

Not all Jews in France feel able to immigrate immediately, she acknowledges, but the mission of “Lech Lecha” is to clarify what is at stake: “We explain that because of deepening antisemitism and growing assimilation, there is no future for Jews in France. We urge them not to lose themselves. The Jewish people needs them here in Israel.”

At gatherings and aliyah fairs, she says, many become emotional when hearing about the Biblical connection to the Land of Israel and the historical role of aliyah.

“They feel that the time has come to leave exile.”

How does “Lech Lecha” help French immigrants face the challenges of aliyah?

“As members of the World Zionist Organization executive, we constantly demand improvements in absorption conditions — but we also provide hands-on support.”

The program assists with:

• Hebrew language study and ulpan placement

• Employment referrals and professional retraining

• Guidance on education, healthcare, and social services

• Community integration in supportive towns and settlements

Special attention is given to professional licensing challenges, particularly in the medical fields, where immigrants often struggle with bureaucratic validation of prior credentials.

Do French immigrants ultimately succeed in integrating into Israel?

“Thank God, the success is significant,” she says confidently.

Immigrants internalize the meaning of living freely as Jews in their homeland, rather than as a persecuted minority abroad. Still, she stresses, Israeli society must welcome them warmly and recognize the great contribution they bring to the country.

During the war, for example, French Jewish communities raised vast amounts of aid for Israeli soldiers, donating 95 tons of equipment to military bases.

“We Must Act as the Owners of Our Land”

“We, the Jewish people in the Land of Israel, must learn from our Torah and from generations of sacrifice that we must act as the rightful owners of our land. We cannot think that we still need permission from the nations of the world to do what is necessary for our future.”

She concludes with hope and determination: “The time has come to advance our national history with courage — toward the ingathering of all the exiles and the strengthening of Jewish sovereignty over the Land of Israel, with prayer and expectation for the redemption of Israel soon, with God’s help.”