May 31, 2020

COVID-19 Doesn’t Stop Olim From Immigrating to Israel

It was a special day for 119 Ethiopian olim (immigrants) who recently arrived at Ben-Gurion International Airport to begin their new life in Israel. Due to strict travel restrictions amid the coronavirus pandemic, Greater Miami Jewish Federation overseas partner The Jewish Agency for Israel helped charter a special aircraft to bring them to their Jewish homeland. They will stay in a government-provided youth hostel for their quarantine period. In what can only be described as beshert (destiny), their arrival coincided with the annual day of remembrance for Ethiopian Jews who perished on their journey to Israel and Yom Yerushalayim (Jerusalem Day), which marks the unification of Israel’s capital. This is the second group of Ethiopians who arrived in Israel during the pandemic, fulfilling the dream of aliyah with 72 others who arrived in March and settled in absorption centers in the country’s North and South. To read more about Federation’s work overseas, click here.