Olim from war-torn areas of Ukraine welcomed in Israel “I am coming home. I am realizing the dream of my father who passed away before he managed to make aliyah,” said Boris Shalkovsky, one of the 288 olim from war-torn regions of Ukraine, as he and his wife, Natalia, arrived at Ben-Gurion International Airport on Monday evening. The air journey, dubbed Flight No. 0001, is the first in a series of flights that are being undertaken in an effort to bring Jews from Ukraine home to Israel. “The situation in Ukraine is not good,” said Shalkovsky, “but we didn’t make aliyah only because of the difficult situation there. It had always been our dream.” Natalia Shalkovsky made it a special point of expressing appreciation for the dedicated and professional care that her family and her fellow olim from Ukraine were accorded. She also spoke of the kind attention that the group got from everyone involved in bringing them to Israel. The olim were greeted in a ceremony attended by Immigrant Absorption Minister Sofa Landver; by the President of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein; Natan Sharansky, the Chairman of the Jewish Agency for Israel; Keren Hayesod World Chairman Eliezer (Moodi) Sandberg; and the Executive Director of Ezra World, Danny Elinson. “It’s an exciting day for me and for the olim arriving in the State of Israel,” Rabbi Eckstein told the assembled crowd at the airport. “We have been looking after the Jews of Ukraine since the outbreak of the war in that country a year ago. There is no such thing as a Jewish refugee any more. The Jews have the State of Israel, which is prepared to receive them - and embrace them. And I have had the privilege of playing a part in this exciting project and to bring Jews from Ukraine.” Addressing the gathering on the seventh night of Hanukkah, the festival of lights, Immigrant Absorption Minister Landver called the occasion “a day of light. It’s exciting,” and added: “This aliyah from Ukraine is an aliyah of people who have lost everything. It’s good that they have a place to come to. They have a home: Israel.” Jewish Agency chairman Sharansky recounted that he had been asked by non-Jews why it’s only Jews who have someone looking after them. “It’s because we have the State of Israel.” The latest Ukrainian olim follow 5,200 others who immigrated from Ukraine this year, Sharansky said. There have also been a record 7,000 olim this year from France and total aliyah figures for 2014 from around the world of 25,000. Sharansky noted that 30% of those on the flight from Ukraine are children. “We are happy that you are here with us,” he told Israel’s newest olim. “This is a moving event,” World Keren Hayesod chairman Sandberg told those in attendance at the airport. “One doesn’t need to say a lot. Just look behind me at the olim who have arrived today. That says it all. Our hearts are bursting with joy,” he said. ”Keren Hayesod will assist every Jew anywhere in the world who wants to come to Israel. This is our country.”
Posted on: Mon, 22 Dec 2014 19:19:45 +0000
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