Minister of Aliyah and Integration Ofir Sofer arrived on Wednesday for a series of meetings in Toronto, Canada.
The Minister began his visit at Ulpanat Orot High School for Girls and Bnei Akiva Yeshiva Or Chaim. He toured the schools with Rabbi Seth Grauer, the Rosh Yeshiva and head of Bnei Akiva schools in Toronto, and Idit Shamir, the Israeli Consul General in Canada.
Minister Sofer met with the educational staff and heard about the challenges they face. He was impressed with their strong connection to the State of Israel.
The Minister met with Jeff Rosenthal, Chair of UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, Bruce Leibov, Chairman of the Aliyah and Absorption committee and a member of the Board of Trustees in the Jewish Agency, Adam Minsky, President and CEO of the Jewish Federation in Toronto, with additional Rabbis, and community lay leaders.
At the meeting, the Minister and his staff outlined his plans of how to increase Aliyah of Jews from North America and to improve the Olims’ landing and integration into Israeli society.
Additionally, the Minister met with Yaron Deckel, the Jewish Agency Regional Director to Canada, and other representatives from the Jewish Agency serving Canadian Jewry. The Minister concluded his visit with a dinner reception and a discussion with students interested in making Aliyah together with Rabbi Korobkin, the Rabbi of the Beth Avraham Yosef Synagogue of Toronto (BAYT).
Minister Sofer summed up his visit to Toronto by saying, "I was delighted to meet and begin building a relationship with the Jewish community of Toronto and hear from them about their connection and love for the State of Israel. My first visit to Toronto was to become familiar with and learn about Canadian Jewry. I presented to the members of the community my Aliyah plans and listened to their questions and comments. My goal is to strengthen Aliyah and assist any Jew looking to build their new home in Israel.”