Nativ organization was established in 1952 at the initiative of the then Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion, in order to preserve the connection between the State of Israel and the Jews in the Diaspora. Over the years, Nativ has worked in various ways to strengthen the ties of the Jews with the State of Israel and helped them emmigrate from the countries in which they operated.

From its inception until the early 1990s, Nativ worked, among other things, for the aliyah of the Jews of the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, while conducting an international struggle for this purpose and with moral and economic assistance to their aliyah activists.

Nativ has the exclusive professional authority in charge of examining the eligibility for aliyah of Jews born in the former Soviet Union, Eastern and Central European countries under the Law of Return, and is authorized to issue immigration visas for them.

 

In the early 1990s, Nativ established Israeli cultural centers, which operate under the auspices of the diplomatic missions, including various projects in the fields of education and culture. Today, there are nine centers in the area: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Kiev, Kharkiv, Odessa, Dnieper, Chisinau and Minsk. The Israeli Cultural Centers serve as a bridge to its culture and language, and present its history, heritage and cultural and scientific achievements to all citizens of the countries of the region, including the public entitled to immigration under the Law of Return, to deepen their knowledge of the State of Israel.