(IsraelNN.com) Nefesh
B’Nefesh welcomed its first summer aliya flight at Ben-Gurion
International Airport today (Thursday). The flight brought 220 new
immigrants from North America to Israel. This was the first of thirteen
flights expected to bring more than 2,000 new immigrants over the course
of the summer. Tracey Levy, formerly of Houston, Texas, who
arrived on today's flight is the organization's 15,000th new
immigrant.
The new immigrants arrived from more than 21 different
US states and two Canadian provinces. The oldest amongst them is 87 years
old and the youngest only two months. The immigrants will be making
their homes in communities across Israel, including the major cities of
Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Haifa, smaller cities such as Bet Shemesh, Tzfat
and Rechovot, and various smaller communities and kibbutzim.
Forty-seven single new immigrants arrived on the flight; four
young women were met by their Israeli sweethearts at the airport.
One of the 39 families on the flight is literally “building a new home in
Israel”; their former home on Long Island was struck by a tragic fire. The
new immigrants are also brought their pets with them to Eretz Yisrael:
four dogs and two cats.
They came from a wide range of backgrounds
and professions, including engineers and scientists, hi-tech and business
professionals, therapists and artists. A former librarian at the New York
Public Library is bringing a very special collection of more than 3,000
books with her. Amongst the immigrants are 15 young men and women who will
be inducted into IDF service following their arrival.
Leading
Israeli dignitaries attended the welcome ceremony, including
Rechovot Chief Rabbi Simcha HaKohen Kook, former Israeli Ambassador to the
US Danny Ayalon, and NBN Co-Founders Rabbi Yehoshua Fass and Tony
Gelbart.
