Joyous Arrival for 210 New Immigrants
 
by Hillel Fendel
December 30, 2009
Israel National News

(IsraelNN.com) Yet another chapter in the historic return of the 
Jewish People to its homeland was written Wednesday morning, 
when the final Nefesh B’Nefesh flight of the year 2009 landed in 
Ben Gurion International Airport. The 210 new Israelis aboard the 
flight were greeted by hundreds of relatives, friends and other 
well-wishers.

The 210 capped off the approximately 3,800 new immigrants 
who arrived in Israel from North America in 2009 - an increase 
of approximately 17 percent over the previous year.

Among those who came to see the new immigrants land for the 
first time in their new home was historian and lawyer Rabbi Berel 
Wein. Asked what he was doing there, he said, “It’s very 
important to realize the ongoing miracle of the Jewish people’s 
return to their homeland - and our generation is privileged to 
witness it… and it’s worthy of people coming to see it.”

In response to a question by Israel National Radio’s Yishai Fleisher 
regarding those who attempt to downplay the ongoing miracle of 
the renewed Jewish State, Rabbi Wein said, “In every generation, 
there are those who get it and those who don’t get it…. 
When Joshua led the Jewish People into the Land of Israel and 
met the angel, he asked him only one question: 'Are you with us, 
or against us?' This is the question, the dividing line, the litmus 
paper test of Jewish life today. The people who came today and 
who are here are [among those who are] with us.” 

The new immigrants range in age from two months to 86 years, 
include 40 children in 41 families, 81 singles, and 13 IDF Soldiers. 
Their professions range from accountant to theater director, 
including also at least one fundraiser, librarian, lawyer, chemist, 
speech therapist, massage therapist, mathematician, and many 
more. Hailing from 25 U.S. states and three Canadian provinces, 
they are headed for 21 towns and cities throughout Israel, 
including Afula, Carmiel, Eilat, Raanana, Modiin, Beit Shemesh, 
Netanya, Ramat Gan, Rehovot, Yad Binyamin, and Zikhron Yaakov.

Deputy Prime Minister Silvan Shalom was also on hand, and in his 
address to his new fellow citizens and those who came to welcome 
them, he said, “The people of Iran and Hamas and Hizbullah will 
see that the People of Israel have come back after 2,000 years - 
and not for a short time, but to settle here forever!  You are those 
who will implement the Biblical promise, given by G-d, that we 
will stay here forever… I would truly like to thank you… 
You were not forced, but rather came here by choice; you left 
your homes, jobs, friends, communities - and you did it not only 
for yourselves, but also for your children, grandchildren, and 
generations to come, to help them to become real Jews here 
in the State of Israel!”

Minister Shalom took the opportunity to call on the world to 
stop Iran: “It doesn’t matter what Ahmedinajad’s plans are, 
we will do everything we can to stop him. This is the time to 
call on Obama and Europe to stop wasting time trying to talk 
with Iran; Iran will never abandon its dream to attain nuclear power, 
and so the time has come to impose real sanctions upon Iran 
and all those who are trying to undermine Israel’s existence.”

Founded in 2002, Nefesh B’Nefesh works with the Israeli 
government and the Jewish Agency for Israel for the goal of 
revitalizing Aliyah from North America and the United Kingdom. 
NBN helps remove or minimize the financial, professional, 
logistical and social obstacles of Aliyah, and provides 
comprehensive social services to its 23,000 newcomers. 
Some 98% of its new immigrants have remained in Israel.

Just this week, new Jewish immigrants from South Africa, 
the United Kingdom, and France were welcomed in Jerusalem's 
Ramada Renaissance Hotel by the Jewish Agency.  Agency 
Chairman Natan Sharansky was on hand to congratulate the 
immigrants, personally handing some of them their new 
Israel ID cards.