Queens families considering Aliyah will have an unusual opportunity on Sunday, October 11, to meet Israeli municipal representatives, educators, advisers, and immigrants who can answer many of the practical questions that rarely fit into a brochure.

The Community and Education Fair, presented by Ofek Israeli in partnership with Nefesh B’Nefesh, will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at a Queens location being disclosed privately to registered attendees.

The event has also drawn the attention of PAL-Awda NY/NJ, which has announced a protest in Queens at 1 p.m. Its flyer declares “No Settlers on Stolen Land” and “Globalize the Intifada,” describes Nefesh B’Nefesh as a “settler recruitment agency,” and says the exact protest location will be announced later.

The fair itself is being promoted by Nefesh B’Nefesh as a community and education event for prospective immigrants seeking information about schools, municipalities, employment, licensing, and the process of moving to Israel. The protest announcement does not state an intention to commit violence or block the entrance, but the rhetoric and the history surrounding similar events have prompted concern about security.

Representatives from Jerusalem, Beit Shemesh, and Haifa are expected to attend, along with olim discussing life in Ashkelon, Carmei Gat, Carmei HaNadiv, Karmiel, Modi’in, Pardes Hanna-Karkur, Tel Aviv-Yafo, and other communities. Families will be able to ask about neighborhoods, schools, services for new immigrants, and the realities of settling in different parts of Israel.

The day’s schedule includes an overview of education in Israel at 11 a.m., brief presentations from olim about their communities at 1 p.m., and a panel of municipal representatives at 3 p.m. Education specialists are expected to discuss support for immigrant students, the Naaleh high school network, and higher education through the Israel Student Authority.

Nefesh B’Nefesh advisers will also address the Aliyah process, employment, Hebrew study, and professional licensing, including guidance for medical and paramedical professionals.

An Aliyah-in-One program will take place at the same location, allowing eligible participants to complete multiple parts of the application and planning process in one setting. Registration must be completed using the attendee’s legal name, and government-issued photo identification matching the registration will be required at check-in.

The concerns surrounding Sunday’s protest are not without precedent.

In November 2025, anti-Israel demonstrators gathered outside a Nefesh B’Nefesh event at Manhattan’s Park East Synagogue, chanting slogans that included “Globalize the intifada” and “Death to the IDF.” The demonstration drew national attention because it targeted people entering a synagogue and raised broader questions about when political protest becomes intimidation at a house of worship.

In January 2026, PAL-Awda announced plans to protest another Nefesh B’Nefesh event in Manhattan, as well as a separate Israeli real-estate gathering in Queens. The group later canceled its organized demonstration against the Nefesh B’Nefesh program, claiming that reduced attendance represented a victory. Fewer than 30 protesters and counterprotesters nevertheless appeared on a police-blockaded street while the program continued. The Queens real-estate protest went forward the following day.

The newly published October 11 protest announcement specifically targets the Queens event. Its 1 p.m. start time also coincides with the fair’s scheduled presentations by olim.

Because the fair is taking place in our community, I have been in direct contact with the NYPD’s 107th Precinct and requested a substantial, visible police presence to protect attendees and allow the program to proceed without disruption.

No officer count, perimeter, or tactical arrangement has been made public, nor should operational details be circulated in advance. The same applies to the private venue address. Making it public would only make it easier for those seeking to confront attendees as they arrive.

The fair is not a political rally or a real-estate sale. It is a resource day for people considering a major life decision.

Parents will be asking which communities have the right schools for their children. Professionals will want to know whether their credentials can transfer. Families will be comparing employment, housing, language support, healthcare, and the social realities of beginning again in Israel.

Organizers are asking attendees to register in advance, use the exact legal name appearing on their identification, monitor direct communications for final details, and refrain from circulating the private venue address.

The goal is simple: allow lawful expression outside while ensuring that families inside can safely obtain the information they came for.

By Shabsie Saphirstein