Nefesh B'Nefesh founder to new immigrants: 'You are our comfort'

by Tal Polon
Arutz Sheva
Israel National News
August 17, 2016

Rabbi Yehoshua Fass, the co-founder of Nefesh B'Nefesh, Israel's 
immigration agency, had inspiring words for a plane-full of new immigrants 
that arrived in the country this morning.

"You are our comfort, you are our joy, you are our hope, you are our pioneers, 
you understand that Israel is not just a destination for tourism [...] but that 
it is a destiny, and you made a bold decision to fulfill our national destiny, 
so Mazal Tov!" he said.

In speaking of "comfort," Rabbi Fass was referencing the symbolic period 
of comfort currently underway in the Jewish calendar that follows the 
Jewish national day of mourning, Tisha B'Av, observed this last Sunday.

"I cannot think of a better time for you to have come," he emphasized.

The new arrival is particularly momentous in that it contains the 50,000th oleh 
(new immigrant) who has moved to Israel as part of a Nefesh B'Nefesh 
chartered flight.

"It's an impressive number, but, honestly, let's celebrate our one hundred thousandth, 
our two hundred thousandth...call your family and tell them to get on a plane already!" 
Rabbi Fass goaded.

The flight included a diverse mixture of people, including 24 families, 78 children, 
10 medical professionals, and 75 future IDF volunteers. The ages of the immigrants 
ranged from 3.5 weeks to 85 years old.