Former IDF captive, Gilad Shalit will be on board Nefesh B’Nefesh’s first-ever children’s aliyah flight in a showing of support and appreciation for North American Aliyah. 231 North American olim, including 106 children and 54 singles will be on the first summer of 2013 aliyah flight, which NBN has dubbed the “Children’s Flight”.

The NBN chartered El Al flight is part of the effort that will bring 2,500 olim to Eretz Yisrael, in full cooperation with the Jewish Agency for Israel, the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption and JNF.

Family and friends around the world will be able to watch a live feed of the olim landing in Israel and follow the welcoming ceremony on a dedicated online webcast at: www.nbn.org.il/live . the flight is due to arrive on Tuesday, 17 Menachem AV 5773 at 06:30 in the morning.

Some of the Dignitaries expected at the arrival ceremony in Ben-Gurion airport:

• Minister of Immigrant Absorption Sofa Landver

• Minister of Agriculture Yair Shamir

• Member of the House Committee and the Committee for Immigration, Absorption and Diaspora Affairs, MK Dov Lipman

• Chairman of the Jewish Agency Natan Sharansky

• World Chairman of KKL-JNF, Effie Stenzler

• World Co- Chairman of KKL-JNF, Eli Aflalo

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)