Who can make Aliyah?

Every Jew has the unrestricted right to immigrate to Israel and become an Israeli citizen. A Jew is defined as someone born to a Jewish mother or someone who has converted to Judaism and does not adhere to another religion, though exceptions exist.

Anyone born to a Jewish mother is considered Jewish. Photo: Pexels

Individuals born within Israel’s borders receive citizenship at birth if at least one parent is a citizen. Non-Jewish individuals can become citizens after residing in the country for at least three years while holding permanent residency and demonstrating proficiency in the Hebrew language.
Israel’s citizenship law outlines the conditions for acquiring Israeli nationality. The two primary laws governing this are the 1950 Law of Return and the 1952 Citizenship Law. Since 2018, Israeli legislation has defined Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people.
Israel has a dedicated Ministry of Aliyah and Integration that provides assistance to immigrants and returning citizens. The ministry establishes policies, allocates budget support, and offers specialized services related to housing, employment, and culture for new citizens.

The government and religious authorities have historically disagreed on who qualifies for citizenship. Until 1970, the Law of Return was interpreted strictly according to Jewish religious law, meaning only those born to a Jewish mother were considered Jews. This also included those who had converted to Judaism and had not adopted another religion.
In 1971, the Citizenship Law was amended so that any Jew who formally expressed their desire to immigrate to Israel would immediately become an Israeli citizen, without needing to enter Israeli territory.
Since 2021, foreigners who convert to Conservative or Reform Judaism within Israel have been eligible for citizenship under the Law of Return. However, both Israel’s Chief Rabbinate and the Supreme Court classify followers of Messianic Judaism as Christians, specifically excluding them from the right of return unless they have sufficient Jewish ancestry.

Ethiopian Jews, whose progenitors have lived in Ethiopia since the early Middle Ages, developed customs influenced by Coptic Christianity. Their Jewish status was officially recognized by the Chief Rabbinate in 1973. However, a new government ruling in 1992 determined that this community was not eligible under the Law of Return, though some were allowed to enter Israel under family reunification policies.
Subsequent government decisions have permitted more Ethiopian Jews to immigrate, but they must convert to Judaism to receive full Israeli citizenship.
The Samaritans, a group closely related to Israelis, were granted Israeli citizenship under the Law of Return as early as 1949.