| The Americans are Coming! | |
More than 400 North American and Canadian immigrants to Israel (olim), arriving in a single El Al jumbo jet, were greeted at Ben-Gurion Airport on the morning of July 14, 2004 with great fanfare.
These immigrants to Israel (olim) are unique in that they are being sponsored by Nefesh B'Nefesh. Nefesh B'Nefesh, a Florida-based group, is offering one-time grants of $5,000-$25,000 and help with job placement to North Americans who will immigrate to Israel.
Fanfare
Hundreds
of friends, family, and well-wishers cheered the new immigrants as disembarked
from the plane. An entire
Israeli air force unit stood on the tarmac, waving Israeli flags and helping
to carry baby strollers. An IDF band performed "Mashiach,
Mashiach" and
blasted shofars. Even a clown was there to make balloon animals
for the younger immigrants.
Prime
Minister Ariel Sharon and half-dozen senior officials welcomed the new immigrants.
The
prime minister spoke, saying that aliya is the "primary
goal" of
his government, and greeted the immigrants individually.
Finance Minister
Binyamin Netanyahu told the new immigrants that their choice to
make aliya is a harbinger of change for the entire Zionist enterprise. "You
will witness in your lifetimes a monumental shift not seen since
biblical times and the days of the Second Temple: The majority of Jews will live
in the Jewish state."
Immigration Absorption Minister Tzipi Livni praised Nefesh B'Nefesh cofounders
Tony Gelbart and Rabbi Yehoshua Fass, who accompanied the new immigrants on the
flight from New York.
Nefesh B'Nefesh and North American Aliya
Nefesh
B'Nefesh
(http://www.nefeshbnefesh.org) is a foundation which provides financial aid
and social support to Americans and Canadians interested in making aliya.
In 2002, over 500 North Americans and Canadians immigrated to Israel with the help of Nefesh B'Nefesh. The same organization helped over 1000 new immigrants come to Israel in 2003. 1500 are scheduled to come to Israel, under the sponsorship of Nefesh B'Nefesh, in 2004. And Nefesh B'Nefesh claims to have another 8000 applicants.
Nefesh B'Nefesh aims to revitalize North American aliyah by removing financial, professional and logistical obstacles.
According to Jewish Agency Chairman Sallai Meridor, Israel must attract 50,000 new immigrants a year. Over the past four years, aliya figures have plunged to far below that ideal number.
Roughly 3000-5000
North Americans have been immigrating annually to Israel for
the last quarter century. Yet there is great potential to raise these
numbers, as North America is considered to be the largest "reservoir" for
potential aliya.
With the help of Nefesh B'Nefesh, there is hope that
tens of thousands of American Jews will be moving their lives in Israel
in the near future.
~ Lisa
Katz
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