The inaugural British MedEx took place on Sept. 22 in London, drawing more than 100 Jewish doctors from across the United Kingdom, many of whom are planning to make aliyah in the near future, who received assistance with their aliyah planning and licensing.

In an effort to address Israel’s acute shortage of physicians, the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, the Ministry of Health and Nefesh B’Nefesh launched the International Medical Aliyah Program (IMAP) to streamline the immigration process for medical professionals, ensuring their ability to integrate into Israel’s medical workforce upon arrival in Israel. MedEx is a key component in this broader national effort, which began several years ago, to address the growing employee crisis in Israel’s health-care system.

The initiative came as a result of eight successful years of Nefesh B’Nefesh expediting the licensing and placements for thousands of North American health-care professionals interested in making aliyah through its MedEx program. IMAP seeks to bring 2,000 Jewish doctors to Israel within five years and is supported in its efforts by key partners including The Jewish Agency for Israel, the Ministry of the Negev, the Galilee and National Resilience, the Marcus Foundation, the Gottesman Foundation, and the Jewish Federation of North America.

Following successful events earlier this year in the United States, France and Argentina, MedEx made its debut in London, with plans to expand to other destinations worldwide. The initiative aims to maximize the potential of Jewish doctors from various communities and integrate them into Israel’s medical system.

At the London event, doctors had the opportunity to meet with representatives from the Israeli Ministry of Health and medical directorate to discuss licensing requirements, explore employment options, and gain insights into official procedures and grants. In addition, representatives from various health insurance funds and hospitals, such as Ichilov, Hadassah, Clalit and the Northern Medical Center were present to conduct real-time job interviews, further enabling a smoother integration into the workforce upon their arrival. A special emphasis was placed on employment opportunities in Israel’s periphery, supported by new grant programs from the Ministry of the Negev, Galilee and National Resilience, and the Tekuma government administration in the Gaza Envelope.

Israeli minister Ofir Sofer, who canceled his trip to the fair at the last minute due to the escalation in the north, said: “Even in times of war and challenging times for the State of Israel, we are witnessing the interest of dozens of doctors to make aliyah and join the medical system. The program we established, together with the Ministry of Health, Nefesh B’Nefesh, and in partnership with the Ministry of the Negev and Galilee, will lead to the aliyah of many doctors, with an emphasis on strengthening healthcare services in the Negev and the Galil. In addition, we are indeed seeing a growing increase in aliyah from the United Kingdom over the past year—a trend we are actively encouraging and believe will continue to grow. I congratulate the attendees of the fair and call on the many interested individuals to make the Zionist move and make aliyah, especially now.”

“British Jewry is a vibrant community with a deep love and connection to the State of Israel,” said Tony Gelbart, co-founder and chairman of Nefesh B’Nefesh. “The event was an opportunity to come together with our partners in England to help the local Jewish medical community realize their dreams of making Israel their home. Their move will not only transform their lives but also have a profound impact on the State of Israel and its health-care system for generations to come.”

“Strengthening our medical system, hospitals and response capabilities, particularly in the Negev and Galilee, is of paramount national importance, especially in these challenging times. Attracting skilled medical professionals to these regions during the war not only enhances the quality of healthcare but also fosters community resilience,” said Yitzhak Wasserlauf, minister of the Negev, Galilee and National Resilience. “This initiative aligns with our mission to improve quality of life and bolster national resilience, providing olim with the opportunity to thrive in supportive communities with opportunities for professional growth while ensuring access to high-quality medical care for all.”

At the event, Israeli Ambassador to the United Kingdom Tzipi Hotovely said that “for years, Jewish mothers dreamed of their children becoming doctors. At some stage, that shifted to their children launching start-up companies. Now, we need to go back to the old-fashioned Jewish dream, Israel needs more doctors.”

She continued, “We need pediatricians, psychiatrists, gynecologists and emergency doctors. We need the best people to bring their knowledge to the Israeli medical system.”

“Time after time the deep partnership with world Jewry proves itself integral to the strengthening of the State of Israel in many areas. The doctors who will make aliyah are a symbol of the strength of this existential bond,” said Chairman of The Jewish Agency for Israel, Maj. Gen. (res.) Doron Almog. “These doctors are a tremendous contribution to Israeli society and their aliyah is a source of enormous pride. We are so grateful to our partners who helped make this happen. This aliyah is the essence of hope itself.”