Immigrant visas for those wishing to make aliyah to Israel are again being issued. No such visas had been issued since April. These visas are needed by those making aliyah since only Israeli citizens are allowed to enter Israel at this time.
Aliyah means "going up" or "ascent." It appears in the Bible in the term "aliyah le'regel," which literally means "going up on foot" and refers to the three yearly pilgrimage festivals in ancient Israel. At the time of these festivals, the entire nation would come to offer sacrifices and on one of them, Shavuot, bring the first fruits of their harvests to the Holy Temple on Mount Moriah in Jerusalem, whose elevation meant visitors would literally be going up in order to reach the city.