240 North Americans Fly Home to Israel 

Thursday, July 6, 2006 / 10 Tammuz 5766
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/news.php3?id=106741

The first of this summer's seven specially-chartered Nefesh 
B'Nefesh/Jewish Agency flights, bringing some 3,000 Western 
immigrants to Israel, arrived today. IsraelNationalRadio was aboard.

President Moshe Katzav, Absorption Minister Ze'ev Boim and 
other officials were on hand today to greet Israel's newest 240 citizens. 
Their move to Israel was facilitated by the Nefesh B'Nefesh organization, 
which has similarly helped some 7,000 Jews to come home over the 
past four years.

IsraelNationalRadio show hosts and Aliyah activists Yishai and 
Malkah Fleisher, who were on the plane, were visibly moved at 
being part of the homecoming of so many Jews. "But the most 
powerful moment of all," Yishai later said, "happened when I was 
talking to a little girl, 9 years old, who calls herself Mickey. 
I asked her why she wants to make Aliyah to Israel, and she said, 
'Well, it's the holiest place in the world; G-d lives there, so that's 
where I'm going to be too.'" 

Another of the new olim, Dan Lande, in his 20s, told Yishai, 
"One of my most memorable moments was a few years ago, 
when I was at a wedding in Hevron... and the groom got up and 
called out to everyone, 'This Land' - and everyone answered him 
back all together, 'is our land!' I get goose bumps even now just 
thinking about it..." He will be learning Hebrew on a Kibbutz for 
the next five months: "It would have been a lot easier staying in 
America, but the main thing is living a life full of meaning - and 
tomorrow I will wake up knowing that I'm home."

Yishai said that he spoke with one hareidi-religious family - 
a Pupa hassid, his wife and several children - but only after the 
woman ascertained that their talk would help bring more olim to Israel. 
Coming from Monsey, New York, she said that she feels that 
"every Jew, deep down, wants to come to Israel, and I am happy 
to have the opportunity to do so."

Hand in Hand

"I was also talking to a couple in their late 80s who arrived together, 
hand-in-hand, to their new home in Israel," Yishai recounted. 
"I asked how they came to make Aliyah. The woman told me that 
their daughter, who lives in Israel with her family, had recently 
asked her father where he might want to be buried when the 
times comes. He said, 'In Israel.' So she said, 'Why don't you 
come here before then and get to see your grandchildren and 
great-grandchildren grow up?' He right away agreed - and 
she right away went to the internet to download the Nefesh 
B'Nefesh forms..." 

Nefesh B'Nefesh - Jewish Souls United - was formed in late 
2001 to "revitalize North American Aliyah and to expand it for 
generations to come by removing the financial, professional, 
social and logistical obstacles that are preventing many 
'would-be' Olim [immigrants] from fulfilling their dream." 
It has been a great success, having helped over 7,000 American 
and Canadian newcomers come home to Israel, on 16 flights 
since 2002. 99% have remained in Israel, at least one spouse in 
94% of the families are employed, 300 babies have been born to 
them, and 100 weddings have been celebrated among them.

The organization provides pre- and post-immigrations services 
such as loans that become grants, employment information and 
opportunities, and help in education and other areas.

"Our comprehensive Aliyah services, and the cooperative support 
of Israel's governmental and organizational resources [such as 
the Jewish Agency for Israel and the Interior Ministry], have played 
a pivotal role in our ongoing success," says Nefesh co-founder 
and chairman Tony Gelbart.

Gelbart's rabbi and co-founder, Rabbi Yehoshua Fass, welcomed 
the new Olim that no matter how many similar flights of new immigrants 
would arrive in Israel, "each one was just as momentous and 
miraculous as any other one. You are here today in fulfillment of 
the words 'bring us upright to our Land' - you are here, standing 
proud and tall, not running away from anything, but rather running 
towards something great and invaluable..."

The two, Rabbi Fass and Tony Gelbart, authored an inspirational 
letter to today's 240 olim, emphasizing the momentous decision 
they made: 
"...We are on our way home... Please take a moment to reflect and 
consider the enormity of your precious undertaking. For centuries 
we have prayed, sung, studied about returning to Israel. What many 
Jews throughout history could not accomplish in their lifetime, 
you will be fortunate to be actualize in less than 11 hours. 
You will soon be calling Israel your home... Thank you for making 
the courageous choice of picking up your lives, taking on the 
challenges of Aliyah, and making this significant and life-altering 
dream a reality."