The Jewish Agency\'s website Global Jewish Agenda reports on a unique operation carried out last week to bring an incapacitated elderly Jew on Aliyah (immigration) from Russia. Elizabeth Rapaport of Ramat Gan contacted the Jewish Agency about her father Yosef Setralechik, 74, who is unable to move independently, in need of medical attention, and with no way of reaching an airport for a flight to Israel. Wishing to help bring her sick father come on aliyah, the Jewish Agency contacted Russia\'s Siberian Airlines, which has direct flights from eastern Russia to Israel, and whose route passes over Upa, where Yosef lives with his 72-year-old wife Pessiah. After considerable efforts by the Jewish Agency, Siberian agreed to alter its route for the occasion and make a special stopover to pick up the elderly couple.
Jewish Agency emissaries and the couple\'s daughter Elizabeth accompanied her parents to the aircraft in a special ambulance, and a special medical team was waiting for Yosef at Ben Gurion Airport. The new immigrants will live in Ramat Gan together with their family. Ran Azar, head of the Jewish Agency delegation in the Upa region, welcomed the successful operation: \"This is precisely the Jewish Agency\'s role here helping Jews wherever they are, young and old, the sick and the needy. It is extremely unlikely that without our help, this man would have ever made it to Israel, and I feel that we have fulfilled a great mitzvah here.\"
The Jewish Agency organized a large rally last night, with the participation of thousands, in solidarity with the four abducted Israelis in Lebanon. Three soldiers - Benny Avraham, Adi Avitan and Omar Souad - and businessman Elchanan Tenenbaum were kidnapped by Hizbullah terrorists during the week of Yom Kippur one year ago, and not a sign of life has been heard from then since. Deputy Defense Minister Dalia Rabin-Pilosoff assured the crowd that every effort is begin made to expedite their return home.
Jewish Agency emissaries and the couple\'s daughter Elizabeth accompanied her parents to the aircraft in a special ambulance, and a special medical team was waiting for Yosef at Ben Gurion Airport. The new immigrants will live in Ramat Gan together with their family. Ran Azar, head of the Jewish Agency delegation in the Upa region, welcomed the successful operation: \"This is precisely the Jewish Agency\'s role here helping Jews wherever they are, young and old, the sick and the needy. It is extremely unlikely that without our help, this man would have ever made it to Israel, and I feel that we have fulfilled a great mitzvah here.\"
The Jewish Agency organized a large rally last night, with the participation of thousands, in solidarity with the four abducted Israelis in Lebanon. Three soldiers - Benny Avraham, Adi Avitan and Omar Souad - and businessman Elchanan Tenenbaum were kidnapped by Hizbullah terrorists during the week of Yom Kippur one year ago, and not a sign of life has been heard from then since. Deputy Defense Minister Dalia Rabin-Pilosoff assured the crowd that every effort is begin made to expedite their return home.