Ashkenazic Chief Rabbi of Israel David Lau was one of many dignitaries at Ben-Gurion International Airport who greeted the arrival of 233 new immigrants to Israel who came from various parts of the United States through the Nefesh B'Nefesh organization.
The rabbi said, "In all languages and all over the world, the transition from state to state is called immigration, only when people arrive in the Land of Israel - 'they make an ascent.' We are indebted to you, the new immigrants, who remind us of all those who have already been allowed to live and be born in the Land of Israel, the dream and the longing to immigrate to Israel, reminding everyone that we are one people, the people of Israel, from all over the Diaspora who aspire to move up to the Holy Land, to live together on the holy ground that was given to our forefathers."