Eight Ethiopian Jews from Addis Ababa and 100 youth Aliyah students from Minsk arrived in Israel within three days

By Howard Flower, ICEJ Aliyah Director

In the space of three days in October, the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem sponsored two Aliyah flights to Israel—one from Ethiopia and one from the former Soviet Union. Together they brought 108 ICEJ-sponsored olim (new immigrants) to Ben Gurion Airport.

Ethiopia, 13 October

On the night of 13 October, eight Ethiopian Jews landed at Ben Gurion Airport on an ICEJ-sponsored flight from Addis Ababa. They came from northern Ethiopia, where fighting in the Amhara and Tigray regions often blocks roads and can close airstrips without warning.

The current situation in Ethiopia is marked by a recent escalation of armed conflict that has hindered peace efforts and pushed the country closer to a regional war. Following a major multi-pronged offensive launched in late September by an alliance of rebel groups led by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), federal forces and allied militias successfully counter-attacked, recapturing the regional capital of Mekelle and expanding control over major border towns. Amid this volatile backdrop, the Jewish Agency for Israel, with support of the ICEJ, continues to help Ethiopian Jews reach safety in Israel, as the way opens.

“While every Aliyah of a Jewish person coming home is a miracle, we have been waiting for this Aliyah from Ethiopia for a very long time. It is truly encouraging to see how, across centuries of separation and coming from a land at war, these Jews of Ethiopia succeeded in fulfilling the dream of their forefathers and arriving home in Israel. The Jewish Agency, with my amazing, dedicated colleagues, worked tirelessly for this moment, never gave up and never will. We are continuing with bringing our people home from around the world, and also at this time from Ethiopia,” remarked Danielle Mor of the Jewish Agency for Israel.

So far this year, the ICEJ has sponsored flights for 58 Beta Israel making Aliyah. Just before Shavuot, a group of 27 safely arrived in Israel.

The Beta Israel’s Aliyah began in dramatic airlifts after Israel officially recognised them as Jews in 1973. Operation Moses (1984–1985) secretly airlifted about 8,000 Ethiopian Jews from Sudanese refugee camps, though it ended prematurely when news leaked, leaving many families separated. A smaller Operation Joshua followed in 1985. The largest was Operation Solomon (1991): as Ethiopia’s regime collapsed, 34 Israeli aircraft brought over 14,000 Jews to Israel in about 36 hours, with one Boeing 747 carrying a record 1,087 passengers.

Since 2011, the ICEJ has sponsored flights for more than 3,500 Ethiopian Jews. Thousands more are still waiting in Ethiopia, and we are ready to help bring them as soon as the way opens.

Belarus, 16 October

Early on 16 October, a chartered airplane took off from Minsk and landed at Ben Gurion around noon. There were 266 passengers on the 280-seat plane: 130 students in the Jewish Agency’s Naale program, 43 in the Sela program, and 93 other olim, along with Jewish Agency staff.

The ICEJ covered the flight, baggage, and pre-Aliyah ground transport for 100 students.

The students began gathering in Minsk for the flight on 15 October. They came from more than 15 cities across the former Soviet Union, spanning nine time zones—from Kaliningrad in the west to Khabarovsk and Yakutsk in the far east—including Moscow, St. Petersburg, Kazan, Samara, Novosibirsk, and Ulan-Ude. Families from Gomel, Grodno, and other towns in Belarus also came, including parents who brought their children to Minsk to see them off.

The Programs

The Naale program allows Jewish teenagers aged 14 to 15 to come to Israel ahead of their parents to complete their high school at Israeli boarding schools. About 90 percent of graduates stay in Israel and become citizens, and about 60 percent of their parents later make Aliyah as well. Sela is a 10-month university-preparatory program for ages 17 to 21, with around 700 hours of Hebrew study.

At the request of the Jewish Agency, the ICEJ has assisted Naale students since 2005—helping with flights, summer camps, visas, testing, airport transfers, and pre-Aliyah seminars in several of the former Soviet republics.

Doron Almog, Chairman of the Jewish Agency, put it well: “The young generation, the future of the Jewish people, they take responsibility and move forward.” These teenagers carry the hopes of their parents and the dreams of grandparents who survived oppression. They carry the promise of a homeland where being Jewish is not a burden but a celebration.

Ongoing Work

These two flights are part of the ICEJ’s ongoing Aliyah flights program. Since 1980, the ICEJ has assisted more than 194,000 immigrants in various ways in partnership with the Jewish Agency for Israel.

In November, the ICEJ will help the Jewish Agency with the next wave of Bnei Menashe Aliyah, bringing them home out of the ethnic turmoil in Northeast India. In December, the ICEJ will assist the Jewish Agency in supporting another large flight group of new immigrants from France.

We thank our Christian friends around the world whose gifts make this possible.

Your gift to the ICEJ’s Aliyah work helps sponsor flights for Jewish teens from the former Soviet Union and for Ethiopian Jews still waiting to come home. Give online at help.icej.org/aliyah or through your local ICEJ branch.