(PHOTOS IN EXTENDED ARTICLE)
The future of Israel was shaped for generations to come on Wednesday morning, 13 Menachem Av 5778, as a special Aliyah flight chartered by Nefesh B’Nefesh, in cooperation with Israel’s Ministry of Aliyah, The Jewish Agency for Israel, Keren Kayemeth Le’Israel and JNF-USA landed at Ben-Gurion Airport. There were 127 children under age 17 on board, representing more than half of the flight’s olim.
This diverse group of newcomers to Israel ranged in age from 6 months to 80-years-old and included 34 families, 18 singles, three sets of twins, six future IDF soldiers, and 15 medical professionals. Thirty five percent of the flight (88 olim) will be moving to Israel’s periphery, locations in the north and south of the country outside of the center’s metropolitan areas as well as Jerusalem, under the joint Nefesh B’Nefesh – KKL “Go Beyond” initiative.
The new olim hail from across the U.S., including Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington, as well as from the Canadian province of Quebec.
“Each day that brings new olim to Israel is a joyous occasion, especially when there are one hundred and thirty children on a single Aliyah flight. This is the future unfolding before us,” said Minister of Aliyah Sofa Landver. “The Ministry of Aliyah, together with Nefesh B’Nefesh, continues to encourage Aliyah and assist olim from North America. These newcomers, together with the country’s veteran olim, are strengthening Israel’s resilience, economic development and society as a whole. I am so pleased that many of today’s olim are joining our Negev-Galil project which will help strengthen Israel’s periphery.”
“We are inspired to see so many children making Aliyah today with their families. As Israel recently celebrated its 70th birthday, the country is now looking ahead to its future—an era that will be shaped by the ingenuity and passion of courageous and pioneering olim who are starting their lives anew in the Jewish state,” said Rabbi Yehoshua Fass, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Nefesh B’Nefesh.
“The group of young olim arriving today will have the tremendous opportunity to grow and develop in Israel and be part of the modern-day miracle of the Jewish people returning to the Jewish homeland.”
A festive welcoming ceremony took place for the new immigrants at the airport was held following the flight’s arrival to welcome the olim to their new home. Notable guests at the ceremony included: Minister of Absorption Sofa Landver, MK Dr. Avraham Neguise, Chairman of the Knesset Committee for Immigration, Absorption & Diaspora Affairs; MK Yehuda Glick; and Co-Founders of Nefesh B’Nefesh, Rabbi Yehoshua Fass and Tony Gelbart.
The new olim arrived on the first of two Nefesh B’Nefesh charter Aliyah flights of the year, which, along with 8 group Aliyah flights and olim arriving independently on a daily basis, will bring over 2,000 people immigrating through Nefesh B’Nefesh this summer from North America. Since 2002, Nefesh B’Nefesh, together with its partners, has brought more than 57,000 olim to Israel from the U.S., Canada, and the U.K.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem/Photo Credit: Shahar Azran)
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One Response
Dear Yeshivaworld,
Tell the truth about who you really are… what yeshiva are you connected to? Yeshivas erev rav?
Promoting aliyah… more lies, exploitation of gullible people for zionist ends, these poor children will hardly have a chance to do anything… I am not even talking about yiddishkeit which will require an open ness…. Why are you promoting this garbage to your readers, yeshivaworld and pushing your ridiculous agenda. I am writing you a private email, or would you dare open up this comment for others to comment?