More than 500 North American olim greeted at airport ceremony

by Aliyana Traison and Ron Bousso, Haaretz Correspondents
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/599675.html
July 13, 2005

More than 500 North American Jews arrived in Israel on Wednesday 
on two chartered flights from New York and Toronto, comprising the 
largest number of Americans and Canadians to make aliya in a 
single day.

Despite Tuesday's suicide bombing in Netanya and the escalating 
political tension as the disengagement nears, the immigrants were 
in high spirits, many explaining that while they are concerned about 
security, they prefer to live in the Jewish state than the Diaspora.

"I am afraid, but my desire to live in Israel is the strongest desire 
I have, and it overpowers all of my other fears," said Marni Urman 
from Canada. "This is where I belong."

The immigrants, who arrived in Israel as part of a joint initiative of 
aliya assistance program Nefesh B'Nefesh and the Jewish Agency, 
are the first of some 3,200 North American Jews projected to arrive 
in Israel this summer.

"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 arrived from Puerto Rico via 
New York.

Amid cheers from friends, relatives, and Israel Defense Forces 
troops waving flags, the jetlagged immigrants touched down to 
a festive welcoming ceremony featuring Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, 
Vice Prime Minister Shimon Peres, Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom, 
and Jewish Agency chairman Zeev Bielski.

"Aliya is the primary goal of our government, the future of our great 
people," Sharon said. "Life in Israel is not always easy, but I promise 
you we will do all we can to assist you on your journey home."

"We need you more than ever - come to Israel, we need you here," 
he said. "Welcome home, to the Holy Land."

Shalom praised the immigrants' decision to leave the comforts of 
North America to move to Israel.

"Israel is the land of milk and honey, but it is far from being the 
Garden of Eden," the foreign minister said. "Yet you still decided to 
make aliya. Others would call you crazy - I call you Zionists."

By the end of the year, the number of North Americans who will 
have immigrated through Nefesh B'Nefesh since the program started 
in 2001 will have risen six-fold.

"The six planes this summer are just a dry run for the ten next year," 
said Danny Oberman of Nefesh B'Nefesh.