[VIDEO AND PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE]

Dozens of new olim from seven different countries landed at Ben-Gurion Airport on Monday 1 Iyar on a series of flights towards the upcoming Independence Day.

The new immigrants came to Israel with the help of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ), arriving from the following countries: France, Ukraine, Spain, Venezuela, Uruguay and Bolivia. Amongst the new olim is Gregory Seltral, a new immigrant in his thirties from the city of Toulouse, France. Gregory was personally acquainted with Rabbi Yonatan Sandler, who was murdered during the 2012 terror attack at the “Ozar Hatorah” school in Toulouse  and is also an alumni of the School. Gregory made aliyah along with his wife, his infant daughter and his parents.

Also among the new immigrants are Leonid and Irina Patzneker, from the city of Kharkov, the Ukraine. The two came to Israel along with Leonid’s parents, David and Ra’eesa, who are both in their 80s. Leonid and Irina explained that the reason behind their aliyah was the awakening of anti-Semitism in their hometown lately, concurrently with phenomena of extreme nationalism and xenophobia. To his surprise, Leonid, a qualified doctor of chemistry, was hired by the University of Ariel prior to his aliyah. More than 50 new olim in total have arrived in Israel aboard the flights, including 25 households. Amongst the olim were also 22 children and 4 babies. The youngest of the olim is 3-months-old and the oldest is 93.

Upon their arrival in Israel, all of the new immigrants were brought together to a special absorption preparation seminar, organized by the IFCJ at the Ramada hotel in the city of Netanya. After the festive welcome ceremony, the new olim were sorted into groups according to their native language and participated in a series of lectures meant to prepare them for their absorption in Israel. At the same time, the IFCJ is aiding the olim by providing them with special grants in the sum of $1000 per adult and $500 per child, in addition to financing their flights to Israel. This support by the IFCJ is granted in addition to the state absorption grants and benefits the olim are entitled to by the Ministry of Absorption.

Moreover, prior to their arrival in Israel, the IFCJ is making sure the olim and their families will be absorbed in their future local communities, who enlist to assist them in finding housing and work for them and their families. The IFCJ continues to accompany the olim after their absorption in their new homes. With the arrival of the current wave of olim, the IFCJ’s Aliyah initiative, which began in 2014, lists about 3,500 new olim who arrived in Israel through it so far.

Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, President of the IFCJ, who welcomed the olim at the absorption preparation seminar, said that “The Aliyah to Israel is the most basic Zionist value. There is no other way more exciting to celebrate Independence Day, than with the company of new olim coming from all over the world, with the help of the IFCJ. In the past year, we have brought almost 3,500 new olim to Israel and are working relentlessly to allow every Jewish person worldwide who wishes to make Aliyah, to be able to do so. Upon their arrival, we help and personally accompany each Ole until his full absorption in the Israel society and economy”.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem/Video & Photos: Noam Moskowitz)