Abbey Onn, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Nevo, on Why One in Three Olim Leave Israel, Raising American Kids for the Israeli Army, and Her Fight to Bring Family Back from Gaza

In this special episode of Yalla, Let's Go!, Erica Marom turns the microphone on her own co-host — Abbey Onn, Executive Director and co-founder of Nevo Network, the fellowship and professional community that has become the leading network for olim in Israeli high tech. Abbey moved from Fairfax, Virginia to Herzliya 11 years ago, and for the first time she is the one in the guest seat.

Abbey traces her path from directing Hillel's Hurricane Katrina response — 3,000 Jewish students rebuilding the Gulf Coast — to leadership development at Harvard's Kennedy School, to a hard professional landing in Israel with two toddlers and no network. She explains the data point that built Nevo: one in three English-speaking olim leave within three years, and how Nevo pushed retention above 90%. She also speaks, with extraordinary clarity, about October 7th, when five members of her family were taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz, and about the months she spent as the English-speaking voice of the hostage families — speaking to Secretary of State Blinken, leading the Zoom with President Biden, and meeting with 17 senators.

The conversation continues with:

• From Fairfax to Herzliya: Hillel, Brandeis, Harvard, and 17 suitcases

• Telling Michael Eisenberg his idea was wrong — and pitching him Nevo instead

• Why one in three English-speaking olim leave, and how Nevo changed the number

• The Herzog Prize and a government grant to expand beyond tech

• October 7th: Carmela and Noya Dan, and the fight to bring Ofer, Sahar and Erez home

• Raising Israeli-American kids, and preparing an American son for the IDF

• Why she sends her Israeli kids to American summer camp

• Loving Israel and doubting the decision, at the same time

• Aliyah advice: learn Hebrew, then go meet people for coffee

This is an honest, unguarded conversation about belonging, advocacy, and what it costs — and gives — to build a life here.

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KEY TOPICS 

0:00 - Intro

1:10 - Meet Abbey Onn: Yalla, Let's Go! Co-Host in the Guest Seat

2:12 - From Fairfax, Virginia to Israel: Brandeis, Hillel, and Hurricane Katrina

3:42 - Why She and Oded Made Aliyah: Family, Pace of Life, and 15 Feet of Boston Snow

6:55 - Running a Nonprofit While Raising Two Toddlers in a New Country

7:25 - Meeting Michael Eisenberg of Aleph and the Idea That Became Nevo

8:48 - Telling Michael Eisenberg His Idea Was Wrong

9:12 - One in Three English-Speaking Olim Leave Israel Within Three Years

9:56 - Building Nevo Network: From 66% Retention to Over 90%

10:24 - Why Nevo Focuses on Tech, and Why Doctors Are Next

11:17 - Winning the President's Award for Extraordinary Impact on Olim

11:48 - Why Belonging Is the One Thing Olim Are Missing

12:24 - How to Get Involved With Nevo Network

12:41 - Raising Kids in Israel: A Children-Led Society

13:51 - Small Kids, Small Problems: Preparing an American Son for the IDF

15:22 - Raising Israeli-American Kids Between Two Identities

16:16 - Hebrew With Each Other, English With Ima: Language at Home

17:30 - Why She Sends Her Israeli Kids to American Summer Camp

19:04 - October 7th: Five Family Members Taken from Kibbutz Nir Oz

21:10 - The Video of Erez and the Phone Call That Changed Everything

22:25 - Speaking to Secretary of State Blinken and Leading the Zoom With President Biden

24:07 - Losing Carmela and Noya Dan, and the Fight for the Hostages

26:36 - The Weight of Passing This Jewish Legacy to Her Children

27:24 - How She Told Her Kids the Truth About October 7th

29:32 - A Heart Connection She Can't Explain, and the Doubt She Carries

30:35 - Why She Feels Safer and More Herself in Israel Than in the US

31:57 - Would She Ever Move Back to America? 

33:00 - Aliyah Advice #1: You Cannot Stay in Israel Without Hebrew

33:55 - Aliyah Advice #2: Your Full-Time Job Is Meeting People for Coffee

34:54 - At 120, Looking Back: A Life Lived Outdoors

35:26 - Rapid Fire: Prichiot, Lidaskes & Nachsholim

RESOURCES

Follow Abbey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/abbey-onn/

Subscribe to Yalla, Let’s Go here: https://www.aleph.vc/yalla-lets-go 

Learn more about Aleph: aleph.vc 

Sign up for Aleph’s monthly email newsletter: https://newsletter.aleph.vc/

Subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@yallaletsgopodcast 

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‍Follow Aleph on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aleph-vc/

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CREDITS

Hosts: Erica Marom, Abbey Onn 

Executive Producer: Sarah Bard

Producer: Sofi Levak, Dalit Merenfeld

Video and Editing: Nadav Elovic

Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar 

Content and Editorial: Jackie Goldberg

Design: Nimrod Sapir