Nefesh B'Nefesh (NBN), the leading organization that facilitates aliyah (Jewish immigration to Israel) from western countries, realized a dream with this flight as their 10,000th oleh (immigrant) stepped off the plane.
Most of the new arrivals were so overwhelmed, they could barely speak. “This is where we belong,” was the single most-often repeated comment heard from the lips of those who braved storms and sleet and freezing rain – not to mention terrorists – to make their homes in the Land.
“It’s really exciting,” said new immigrant Dan O’Dwyer. “I’m kind of tingling all over. Rain in Israel when I arrive; I actually find it fitting.”
Press "Play" to listen to IsraelNationalRadio's Yishai Fleisher interview at the airport.
“When we began this organization, 10,000 was our landmark. This is a very exciting day for us,” Rabbi Yehoshua Fass told the new Israelis and those who had come to greet them.
Email readers: to see the photos, please click here.
Fass and co-founder Tony Gelbart said their new goal is to bring 5,000 new immigrants each year, a benchmark they believe will be reached within the next two years. More than 3,000 immigrants from the United States, Canada and Britain made aliyah with NBN’s assistance in 2006.
“These people coming off the plane in the rain, it’s like a double blessing,” Bat El Michel declared exuberantly, referring to the long-awaited rains and new immigrants.
Bat El came out in the cold rain to meet the newcomers, including a few of her favorite friends. Two and a half years after her own arrival with Nefesh b’Nefesh, now she too waved a poster that announced to the new arrivals, “Welcome Home!”
“I think it’s very special to see so many people connected to Israel in such a special way,” said Nadav, an Israeli who was there to greet his Canadian girlfriend, Lana. “I know there are olim already here that made aliyah a year ago, or a few years ago, and they’re still connected to all the aliyah process and welcoming all the guys…It’s really heartwarming to see it.”
Nadav added that as an Israeli, he is more optimistic about the future after watching an NBN aliyah flight touch down. “It’s nice to know there are still people who still care about Israel,” he said. “That makes me feel better about the future.”
Former Prisoner of Zion and former Deputy Prime Minister and Knesset member Natan Sharansky was invited to speak to the new immigrants and the loved ones who came despite the frigid temperatures to greet them at Ben Gurion International Airport.
Sharansky praised NBN for its innovative grassroots approach to encouraging aliyah. “It’s not accidental that the most successful programs which happen with American Jewry… came not as a part of establishment policy, but part of a grassroots initiative…… that is the right way to deal with this.”
Asked about whether he thought the majority of American Jews would choose to come to live in Israel or remain in the U.S, Sharansky indicated that the question is not whether US Jews will remain in America, but whether they will remain Jews at all:
Shalom Woodrow, until Wednesday a resident of Toronto, spoke for the countless generations of his family who had remained outside the Holy Land. “Now it’s our time to make it grow, to make our family grow and prosper and to enjoy the Land of Israel....in the place where we’re supposed to be. This is the place that we came to, to do more than we can in “chutz” (abroad), and Baruch Hashem (thank G-d) we’re here to thrive.”
He and his wife brought their five children, including a new seven-and a-half-week-old infant named Shlomo Zalmen, he added, “to make [our] family grow and prosper, and to enjoy the Land of Israel.”
(Photos: Josh Shamsi, Arutz-7 Photojournalist)
More pictures on these sites/blogs:
Jacob Richman
Most of the new arrivals were so overwhelmed, they could barely speak. “This is where we belong,” was the single most-often repeated comment heard from the lips of those who braved storms and sleet and freezing rain – not to mention terrorists – to make their homes in the Land.
“It’s really exciting,” said new immigrant Dan O’Dwyer. “I’m kind of tingling all over. Rain in Israel when I arrive; I actually find it fitting.”
Press "Play" to listen to IsraelNationalRadio's Yishai Fleisher interview at the airport.
“When we began this organization, 10,000 was our landmark. This is a very exciting day for us,” Rabbi Yehoshua Fass told the new Israelis and those who had come to greet them.
Email readers: to see the photos, please click here.
Friends & family in Israel await the arrival of the olim.
A planeload of US Jews coming home to Israel is implanted in this young boy's memory.
Young and old wait to receive their family and friends as new Israelis.
Fass and co-founder Tony Gelbart said their new goal is to bring 5,000 new immigrants each year, a benchmark they believe will be reached within the next two years. More than 3,000 immigrants from the United States, Canada and Britain made aliyah with NBN’s assistance in 2006.
“These people coming off the plane in the rain, it’s like a double blessing,” Bat El Michel declared exuberantly, referring to the long-awaited rains and new immigrants.
The last steps before touchdown.
220 new immigrants deplane.
"That's one small step for a Jew; one giant leap for the Jewish People."
Bat El came out in the cold rain to meet the newcomers, including a few of her favorite friends. Two and a half years after her own arrival with Nefesh b’Nefesh, now she too waved a poster that announced to the new arrivals, “Welcome Home!”
“I think it’s very special to see so many people connected to Israel in such a special way,” said Nadav, an Israeli who was there to greet his Canadian girlfriend, Lana. “I know there are olim already here that made aliyah a year ago, or a few years ago, and they’re still connected to all the aliyah process and welcoming all the guys…It’s really heartwarming to see it.”
Nadav added that as an Israeli, he is more optimistic about the future after watching an NBN aliyah flight touch down. “It’s nice to know there are still people who still care about Israel,” he said. “That makes me feel better about the future.”
Former Prisoner of Zion and former Deputy Prime Minister and Knesset member Natan Sharansky was invited to speak to the new immigrants and the loved ones who came despite the frigid temperatures to greet them at Ben Gurion International Airport.
On the bus from the plane to the awaiting crowds.
Stepping off the bus...
Sharansky praised NBN for its innovative grassroots approach to encouraging aliyah. “It’s not accidental that the most successful programs which happen with American Jewry… came not as a part of establishment policy, but part of a grassroots initiative…… that is the right way to deal with this.”
Asked about whether he thought the majority of American Jews would choose to come to live in Israel or remain in the U.S, Sharansky indicated that the question is not whether US Jews will remain in America, but whether they will remain Jews at all:
“At this moment, unfortunately, the majority of Jews is disappearing not only in America, but all over the world through assimilation.”For the Jews of the world, said Sharansky, Israel remains the most basic, strongest connection to their Jewish identity.
Shalom Woodrow, until Wednesday a resident of Toronto, spoke for the countless generations of his family who had remained outside the Holy Land. “Now it’s our time to make it grow, to make our family grow and prosper and to enjoy the Land of Israel....in the place where we’re supposed to be. This is the place that we came to, to do more than we can in “chutz” (abroad), and Baruch Hashem (thank G-d) we’re here to thrive.”
He and his wife brought their five children, including a new seven-and a-half-week-old infant named Shlomo Zalmen, he added, “to make [our] family grow and prosper, and to enjoy the Land of Israel.”
In the terminal and reunited with loved ones, the celebrations commence.
Religious girls singing and dancing as 220 former US Jews fulfill the Torah obligation of coming to live in the Holyland.
More dancing...
Despite 11 hours aboard a tin can, this family can't hold back its smiles.
Young budding new immigrant Shlomo Peckar - Aliyah by choice.
Nefesh B'Nefesh's 10,000th new immigrant proudly flashes her official certificate.
Shalom Woodrow with his family, formerly of Toronto. "Too many generations we have been out of the Land of Israel. We are here to thrive and grow in the place we are supposed to be."
It took 2,000 years, but they made it back.
A warm welcome greets the new arrivals.
Seminary girls on one-year Israel program welcome their friends arriving on the 120-year plan.
Arutz-7 Radio's Yishai Fleisher (left) and Jewish Filmmaker Yosef Adest welcome the new immigrants. Listen to Yishai's 15-minute coverage of this historic eve
Arutz-7 Radio's Walter Bingham interviews former Prisoner of Conscience and former Israeli Minister Natan Sharansky.
The reception ceremony at the terminal.
To remove any shadow of a doubt, yes, you can bring your dog on aliyah.
Rabbi Elie Mayer, dean of Tiferet Advanced Women's Study Institute, found the right tie for the occasion as he welcomes his brethren to the Jewish homeland.
(Photos: Josh Shamsi, Arutz-7 Photojournalist)
More pictures on these sites/blogs:
Jacob Richman