HA’ARETZ

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Israel Line

Two Planeloads of North American New Immigrants Arrive in Israel

Over 500 North American Jews arrived in Israel today on two specially chartered flights from New York and Toronto, in what stands as the largest number of Americans and Canadians to make Aliyah in a single day, HA’ARETZ reported. "I am really very happy to be here. Every night for the past five years I've read the news in Israel, and I feel as though I've been here the whole time," said Avner Cohen, who came from Puerto Rico via New York.

The Olim [new immigrants], who arrived in Israel as part of a joint initiative of the American non-profit organization Nefesh B'Nefesh and the Jewish Agency, are the first of some 3,200 North American Jews projected to arrive in Israel this summer. They were greeted upon their arrival by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, Vice Premier Shimon Peres, Minister of Foreign Affairs Silvan Shalom, and chairman of the Jewish Agency Zeev Bielski. Full story

Control Tower Named in Honor of Israeli Astronaut Ilan Ramon

Just 24 hours before the planned launching of the U.S. space shuttle Discovery, a dedication ceremony was held to rename the Ben-Gurion Airport air traffic control tower in honor of Ilan Ramon, Israel's first astronaut, who died in the Columbia space shuttle disaster on February 1, 2003, HA’ARETZ reported. Ramon's widow, Rona, and other family members were present at the ceremony, along with Minister of Transportation Meir Sheetrit, Israel Airport Authority officials and other guests.

Israel Airport Authority director general Gabi Ophir said: "The Airport Authority, along with all of Israel, salutes the astronaut, pilot and family man, the late Ilan Ramon. Naming the traffic control tower after him is an expression of the special admiration Ilan Ramon earned, even while still alive." Full story

Economic & High-Tech Briefs

* Manpower Information Technology (MIT) noted an 8.1 percent rise in the demand for high-tech workers in June 2005, compared with May 2005, and a 26.9 percent increase compared with June 2004, GLOBES reported. MIT CEO Idit Padan said the figures indicated a clear growth trend in demand for high-tech workers.

* The IVC Research Center announced that the average venture capital financing round in the second quarter of 2005 was $3.9 million, up 6 percent from the previous quarter, GLOBES reported. In the second quarter of 2005, 98 Israeli high-tech companies raised $387 million from venture investors both

local and foreign. The amount was up 11 percent from the $350 million raised by 102 companies in the previous quarter and was 14 percent higher than the $338 million raised by 91 companies in the second quarter of 2004. In the first half of 2005, capital raised was $737 million, up 15 percent from the levels of the first half of 2004. According to IVC and Giza Venture Capital chairman Zeev Holtzman, “The 15 percent increase in capital raised by Israeli high-tech companies in the first half reflects continuation of the high level of activity in the Israeli high-tech sector. We foresee stability in the second half of 2005 that will bring us to approximately $1.5 billion in capital raised for the full year.”

Today's Israel Line was prepared by Victor Chemtob at the Consulate General of Israel in New York | www.israelfm.org

Israel Line Sources: Ha'aretz | The Jerusalem Post | Ynet News | Kol Yisrael | Israel21c | Globes | The Marker