Israeli Minister of Immigration Absorption Pnina Tamano-Shata kicked off the Jerusalem Conference, led by Arutz Sheva in Manhattan on Sunday.
Tamano-Shata began by addressing the immediate needs of Israeli citizens when they face the challenges of terrorism. “When Israel is challenged by terror attacks, Israelis need to know that the support for the Jewish State is not just at home but also across the sea, and that there are many around the world who are looking towards Israel, and praying for the safety of Jerusalem.”
She discussed the sentiment of Aliyah to Israel, along with her mission to support all who make Aliyah.
“As the Minister of Aliyah and Integration, representing the olim, who since Israel’s founding, have played a central role in building our state, my answer to all those who seek to threaten or attack Israel, are the planes of olim who land in Ben Gurion Airport, and continue to realize the two-thousand-year-old dream of returning to Zion. Israel will always be the safe and secure homeland of all Jews, from all over the world.”
“Indeed, we are now in the middle of a national operation, called Olim Habayta, which began with the Russian invasion of Ukraine- An operation to rescue our brothers and sisters, and to bring them home to safety in Israel. Last month I visited Ukraine together with my friend, Yaakov Hagoel, Acting Chair of the Jewish Agency.”
“It was deeply moving to meet the olim on their way to Israel, accompanied by the Israeli shlichim.”
Tamano-Shata also reminisced over the successes of the most recent campaign. She said, “Thank God, we have already absorbed more than twenty thousand new olim since the beginning of the operation. This is a huge achievement, and we will continue day and night, overseas and in Israel, to ensure that everyone who wants to make aliyah, can.”
“The circumstances surrounding the aliyah from Ukraine, especially touch my heart. When I made aliyah as a small child of three, in 1984, as part of Operation Moses, my family and I were also refugees for a time in Sudan. What gave us strength during that difficult time, was the dream of Jerusalem, and the dream of reaching Jerusalem.”