Solomon Tekah, a member of the Ethiopian community, was killed by an off-duty police officer in the Kiryat Haim neighborhood of Haifa this past July.
During the shiva seven-day mourning period for Tekah, Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel paid the family a condolence visit and heard from them that Solomon’s sister, Meseret Warika, and her two young sons have been waiting to make Aliyah to Israel for several years.
Minister Ariel spoke with the sister in Ethiopia already during the shiva, and contacted the relevant government agencies in order to promote her Aliyah so that she could be with her family.
"As someone who has been working for the Ethiopian community and their Aliyah to Israel for about 35 years, this is definitely an exciting and joyous moment for me and for the Tekah family," said Ariel on Sunday at the Ben Gurion Airport, where he arrived to welcome Meseret alongside former MK Avraham Neguise and her family.
"This is the least we can do to ease the pain and grief of the family members. Despite the tragic circumstances, I am sure that thanks to the arrival of Meseret and her children, the family will be able to unite and grow stronger. Hopefully we will soon see the rest of the Ethiopian Jewish community, who are waiting and expecting to make Aliyah to Israel, here with us in Israel," Minister Ariel added.