On Thursday, September 3, 2026, Megazone in Beit Shemesh belonged to Eretz Yisrael Yidden for the evening. It was the first event of its kind: a night built around the families who packed up their lives somewhere else and made Aliyah to Eretz Yisrael during 2026.
Why the evening existed
Making Aliyah is not a small thing. Families arrive, find an apartment, find a school, work out the language and the paperwork, and then get on with life. What tends not to happen is anyone stopping to say welcome, properly, in front of the whole community.
That was the entire point of the evening. Eretz Yisrael Yidden (EYY) put on a night for men and boys of all ages, open to families from Beit Shemesh, Ramat Beit Shemesh and across Israel, whether or not they had made Aliyah that year. The people who had made the move in 2026 were the guests of honor.
How the night ran
Megazone opened the whole park to the event, so the evening ran on two tracks at once: the attractions going the entire time, and a ceremony at the center of it.
- 6:00 PM
- Doors opened with the park running. Trampolines, the kids' zone and laser tag were all open, with a live DJ and food going alongside.
- 8:30 PM
- The official welcoming ceremony for the new olim, the reason the whole night existed.
- 9:00 PM
- Dancing, SWAG and prizes.
- 10:00 PM
- The night wrapped up.
The welcoming ceremony
At 8:30 PM the evening came together for the part it had been built around. The families who arrived in Eretz Yisrael during 2026 were welcomed in front of the room, by the community they had joined. Not as newcomers being processed, but as people who had already done the hard part.
There are no teams in Judaism, and there are certainly no teams in Eretz Yisrael. What unites us is far greater than what divides us.
Thank you
To Megazone for opening the park to us. To everyone who came out on a Thursday night. And most of all to the families who made the move this year, who are the reason any of it happened.
This was the first Eretz Yisrael Celebration Event. It will not be the last.
Questions about the evening
What was the Eretz Yisrael Celebration Event?
It was the first-ever national evening honoring the families who made Aliyah to Eretz Yisrael during 2026. Eretz Yisrael Yidden brought the community together to welcome them properly, with a formal welcoming ceremony alongside a full night of food, music and the run of the park.
What do EY Yidden and EYY stand for?
EY Yidden and EYY are both short for Eretz Yisrael Yidden, the organization behind the celebration. Eretz Yisrael Yidden is a collection of organizations, businesses and events dedicated to making Eretz Yisrael the best place in the world to raise a thriving frum family.
When and where was the Eretz Yisrael Celebration Event?
Thursday, September 3, 2026, from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM at Megazone, 157 Granit Street, Beit Shemesh. Doors opened at 6:00 PM and the official welcoming ceremony began at 8:30 PM.
Who was the celebration for?
The evening was for men and boys of all ages, and entry was free for children two and under. Families from Beit Shemesh, Ramat Beit Shemesh and across Israel were welcome, whether or not they made Aliyah that year.
What happened during the evening?
Doors opened at 6:00 PM with the Megazone attractions running, including trampolines, a kids' zone and laser tag, alongside live DJ music and food. The official welcoming ceremony for the new olim was at 8:30 PM. From 9:00 PM there was dancing, SWAG and prizes, and the night finished at 10:00 PM.
Will there be another Eretz Yisrael Celebration Event?
Yes. This was the first one and Eretz Yisrael Yidden is planning more events. Anything upcoming is listed on the Eretz Yisrael Yidden events page. To hear about the next one first, follow EYY on Instagram or email info@eretzyisraelyidden.org.
What EYY is doing next
Eretz Yisrael Yidden is a collection of organizations, businesses and events working to make Eretz Yisrael the best place in the world to raise a family. More events are being planned.
See what is coming up