Terror victim Tuvia Grossman immigrates with 199 others

by Jason Silberman
The Jerusalem Post
September 7, 2005 

Almost five years after Tuvia Grossman was dragged out of a 
taxi in east Jerusalem and nearly beaten to death by a crowd 
of Palestinians, he made aliya on Wednesday, together with 
199 other new immigrants from North America on Nefesh 
B'Nefesh's final flight of the summer. 

"It's a very emotional experience, yet a conflicting experience 
at the same time," Grossman told The Jerusalem Post upon 
arrival at Ben-Gurion Airport. "On the one hand I'm leaving 
something behind, both in terms of my family and the place 
in which I grew up. But I'm returning to my homeland. 
What's truly great and uplifting is that I'm doing it with so many 
other people, all different people but all coming home." 

Grossman was one of 200 new immigrants from North America 
who landed at Ben-Gurion Airport early Wednesday morning, 
in the aliya assistance group Nefesh B'Nefesh's final flight of 
the summer. 

"I feel like I'm a part of the culmination of the history of the 
Jewish people," said Baruch Ganz, 22, who left his hometown 
of Philadelphia behind. "I'm really thankful to God for the 
opportunity to take part in this blessing, and this part of the 
redemption." The new olim were welcomed to their new country 
by over 100 guests made up of friends and relatives already 
living in Israel, singing and dancing to the words of the prophet 
Jeremiah, "V'shavu banim l'gvulam" - His sons will return to 
their borders. 

The sixth and final flight of the summer brings the total number 
of new olim brought by Nefesh B'Nefesh to 1,800. According to 
the group, about 3,200 North American Jews will move to Israel 
this year. 

Ronit Greenberg, 21, who arrived from Albany, New York, 
remarked that "the flight was such an amazing experience. 
There was so much positive energy, everyone seemed so excited, 
and you really felt that everyone was so happy with what they 
were doing and what they were being a part of." Since its 
inception in 2002, Nefesh B'Nefesh has brought 3,500 newcomers 
to Israel. The group works to alleviate the obstacles of aliya 
through various programs, including economic assistance, 
and employment and social networking.