(IsraelNN.com) Nefesh B’Nefesh (NBN),
an organization dedicated to revitalizing North American and British
Jewish immigration to Israel, will welcome its first summer flight
filled with new immigrants at Ben Gurion International Airport this
Thursday, July 10.
The flight will bring 220 new immigrants
from North America to Israel, ranging in age from 87 years old to two
months. Tracy Levy, formerly of Houston, Texas who will be the 15,000th
Olah (immigrant) to move to Israel with NBN, is also on Thursday’s
flight. 
Photo: A previous year's welcome to NBN's new immigrants
This
will be the first of thirteen flights expected to bring more than
2,000 Jews to the Jewish homeland over the course of the
summer. The air transports are divided between eight fully chartered
flights on El Al airlines and an additional five flights carrying
Nefesh B’Nefesh immigrants onboard regular flights.
NBN's
aim is to facilitate aliyah (immigration to Israel) by minimizing
the financial, professional, logistical and social obstacles that face
Jews who wish to make Israel their home. It was founded in 2002 by
Rabbi Yehoshua Fass and Tony Gelbart. With the organization’s wide
range of assistance for immigrants, the percentage of North Americans
making aliyah has jumped from 3 percent in 2000 to 16 percent in
2007. NBN offers assistance to new immigrants to Israel from
English-speaking countries with financial aid, employment and social
services, and pre- and post-aliya assistance programs.
Leading
Israeli dignitaries will attend the Thursday flight’s welcome ceremony,
including Rehovot Chief Rabbi Simcha HaKohen Kook, former Knesset
Member Geula Cohen, former Israeli Ambassador to the US Danny
Ayalon, Immigration Ministry Director-General Erez Halfon, and NBN
co-founders Rabbi Yehoshua Fass and Tony Gelbart.
While
registration to attend the welcome ceremony is closed for Thursday's
flight, the public is invited to attend the other summer flights;
registration is available at the Nefesh B'Nefesh website.
