Israel welcomes two planes full of enthusiastic North
American immigrants |
Updated at 13:13 on July 13, 2005, EST. |
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BEN GURION AIRPORT, Israel (CP) - Hundreds of North
American Jews packed up their families, filled two airplanes
and emigrated to Israel, arriving Wednesday to hundreds of
cheering Israelis and enthusiastic government officials,
including Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
The planes arrived from Canada and the U.S. a few
minutes apart, pulling up to an airplane hangar for a
welcoming ceremony.
Joyful tears fell as relatives and friends embraced one
another over steel barricades, while others walked around,
looking a bit dazed but smiling.
Eli Gherman, 32, moved to Israel with his wife and five
children from Long Island, N.Y.
"No other country in the world would bring all of these
people out to greet us unless they're your family," Gherman
said as the welcoming crowd waved blue-white Israeli flags.
"And it's a family that needs us, wants us and cares about
us."
Sharon and other cabinet ministers welcomed the 660
North American immigrants at Ben Gurion Airport outside Tel
Aviv.
Marking only the second time Sharon has greeted
arriving immigrants during his term, he told Israel's latest
group of newcomers that they are necessary for the good of the
country.
"We've always needed you and we especially need you
now," Sharon told the group of 480 Americans and 180
Canadians.
The new arrivals received financial support from the
American-based organization Nefesh B'Nefesh - Soul to Soul -
with a goal of increasing the number of North Americans who
move to Israel.
Charley Levine, a spokesman for the organization, said
that the amount of financial assistance given to eligible
families ranged from $5,000 to $23,000 US per family.
Nefesh B'Nefesh and the Jewish Agency for Israel, a
quasi-governmental body that deals with immigration, pledged
to help find jobs for about 3,200 North Americans expected to
move here this year.
Ira Robinson, a Jewish studies professor at Montreal's
Concordia University, says Canadian Jews who identify with the
idea of Israel and are committed to growing a homeland have
been deeply affected by instability in the region since 2000.
"The recent intefadeh (Palestinian uprising) has made
people take stock of themselves, what they feel in their
hearts and what their dreams are," said Robinson.
Jewish Agency spokesman Michael Jankelowitz said nearly
4,000 Americans have opened immigrant files so far this year.
If these figures hold, this year would see the largest number
of immigrants from North America since 1983.
Israel will be home to the world's largest Jewish
population for the first time in 2006, surpassing the
community in the United States, the Jewish People Policy
Planning Institute said in a report Tuesday.
About 5.6 million Jews live in Israel.
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| The Canadian Press, 2005
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