[4] Nefesh B'Nefesh was originally conceived by Rabbi Yehoshua Fass after a family member was killed in a terrorist attack in Israel on 28 March 2001.

[12] In August 2008, the Jewish Agency for Israel and Nefesh B'Nefesh created a "one-stop shop" designed to streamline the aliyah process and make it easier for olim.

[13] Under the new "collaborative venture" Nefesh B'Nefesh is the primary source responsible for marketing and promoting the concept of aliyah to Jews in North America.

[14] In December 2008, Nefesh B'Nefesh, in cooperation with the Israeli government and the Jewish Agency, and with the support of the Russell Berrie Foundation, launched the "Go North" initiative.

[18] In September 2013, Nefesh B'Nefesh's Bonei Zion Prize was established, "in order to formally recognize the achievements of outstanding Anglo olim and their contribution to the State of Israel."

A prize is awarded in each of the following categories: Community & non-profit, education, Israel advocacy, science & medicine, young leadership, and culture, art & sports.

NBN also began working directly with the Israeli Ministry of Health to enable medical professionals to convert and receive their licenses efficiently.

[29][30][31] In December 2008, NBN, the Israeli government, and the Jewish Agency, with support from the Russell Berrie Foundation created the Go North program,[32] offering incentives to prospective immigrants to move to northern Israel.

[33][34][35] In 2013, Nefesh B'Nefesh, KKL and JNF-USA created a comparable program entitled "Go South," incentivizing olim moving to southern Israel.

In its first year, 2019, Ori helped 150 girls from all over the world, who completed their national service in medical institutions, educational facilities, and government organizations.

[42] In 2014, writing for The Times of Israel, Haviv Rettig Gur claimed the recent rise in aliyah had "nothing to do with the organization's laudable work which eased the aliya process for immigrants' but did nothing to increase their numbers.