By Laurina Driesse

On Monday (3 August), a group of 139 French Jewish immigrants were joyously welcomed by close relatives and well-wishers as they landed in Israel on an Aliyah flight chartered by the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem.

Israel’s Ministry of Aliyah and Integration and The Jewish Agency For Israel, using funds donated by ICEJ-USA and ICEJ-Switzerland, arranged the special “families flight” from Paris, which brought 34 French Jewish families home to Israel. There were a total of 79 children on board, including 11 babies – with three sets of twins, the youngest set just four months old.

Senior Israeli and JAFI officials accompanied the new immigrants on their flight from Charles DeGaulle to Ben Gurion Airport, as well as ICEJ representatives Dominique-Pierre Walter from our Swiss branch and Robert Baxter and Philippe Gablin from ICEJ-France. Meanwhile, a team from the ICEJ staff in Jerusalem eagerly waited at Ben Gurion’s old Terminal One to warmly welcome the immigrants upon their arrival.

“It is amazing to see people leaving all things to go into a new life, and have a new start,” said Dominique-Pierre Walter. “It’s tragic that some are leaving due to the hatred against Jews.”

Dominique-Pierre shared that he spoke with a young lady who enrolled at a high-level university in Paris. The first message she received from a WhatsApp group she joined at the university was: “We want all Jews to be out of this WhatsApp group.”      

Meanwhile, Robert Baxter spoke for a long time on the flight with a father of four, who was born in Israel and moved to France at the age of 15.

“Now, in his early fifties, he was uprooting his wife and children from the only life they knew to bring them ‘home’ to Israel,” Robert explained. “There was no fear or anxiety expressed by the teenage children, only a calm assurance that they were following a calling by making Aliyah.”

Robert also was thrilled to have the opportunity to address the Jewish immigrants in French as they entered Israeli airspace.

“What to say? As my hand touched the microphone, my brain went blank,” Robert recounted. “I looked up to the stares of so many people who left behind friends, family, a culture, and a nation, to start a new life. My heart began to speak: ‘The history between Christians and Jews, on the whole, has not been very favourable to the Jewish people and the State of Israel, but as you begin a new life, you need to know that you are no longer alone in the world. A growing number of Christians around the world love you, and they love Israel. We will continue to stand with you, defend you, and support you’.”

“The plane erupted in applause,” Robert added. “Then we began our descent to Israel.”

Robert and his fellow ICEJ reps on board joined the Israeli and JAFI officials in handing out immigration certificates to the French olim (newcomers), as well as offering chocolates, colouring books and crayons to the dozens of children.

“This was, without a doubt, one of the most rewarding experiences of my life,” Robert concluded.

As the plane taxied on the runway at Ben Gurion, ICEJ Senior Vice President & Spokesman David Parsons and Vice President of Operations Richard van der Beek were waiting on the tarmac to greet the new immigrants as they took their first steps on Israeli soil. 

Then as they finally made it to the arrivals hall, they were swamped by close relatives and enthusiasts in an explosive atmosphere of joy, music, singing and dancing!

“I have never seen so many family members already in Israel turning out to welcome and embrace their loved ones coming from a Western country,” observed David Parsons. “It was electric! Undoubtedly, the growing French Jewish community in Israel is signalling their family and friends back in France that they will be safe and do well here.”

Some of the ICEJ staff on hand recognised Raphael, a recent Jewish immigrant they had met when he arrived from France on the previous ICEJ-sponsored flight which just landed in early July.

“It feels like home. I am very happy to be here. It is a dream for me to live in Israel,” said Raphael, who simply came back to the airport to share the excitement of welcoming more newcomers. “It’s my turn to say hello to them!” 

Danielle Mor, JAFI’s Vice President of Global Philanthropy, shared how there had been lots of hugs and tearful goodbyes as they prepared to board in Paris.

“These were the most beautiful and intense hugs you could see, and people were just so full of excitement and happiness,” she recalled. “They all feel 100% complete with their decision, as they realise they are coming home. The whole plane was filled with joy!”

“It is always exciting to land at Ben Gurion Airport,” added Robert. “But this flight was nothing like all my earlier ones. These people were not coming on a pilgrimage or for a holiday. They were making a life-changing trip that would affect the lives of their children and their children’s children. There was a tangible electricity in the air!”

Several of the new immigrant families shared their personal stories with the ICEJ welcoming team. Jean-Pierre explained how it had always been a dream to make Aliyah.

“Today my dream has come true,” he said.

His plan now is to find a home for the family and then find a job. His daughter has just finished high school in France and will start university in Israel this year, studying engineering.  

Marvin and Joy arrived with three sons and the twin infant daughters. The family received an amazing surprise when Marvin’s mother, who had flown in unexpectedly from Morocco, was there to welcome them at the airport. His brother was also there from Los Angeles. The family’s decision to make Aliyah came after Joy attended a wedding in Israel around 18 months ago.

“After October 7, something changed in our minds,” Marvin related. “We belong here with everybody. When we saw all the hate around the world for Israel, we felt a lot of pain. We really felt that we needed to support Israel as a family, try to make a living here and maybe have a better future for our children.”

“We are very grateful for what you [Christians] are doing for us and the support you are giving us,” he added. “You are doing an amazing job, and we really appreciate it.”

As the welcome ceremonies drew to an end, David Parsons was invited to give a final greeting to the new immigrants.

“We speak about Aliyah coming in waves,” he told the French olim. “But you have brought a wave of joy and encouragement that is washing over all of us who came to welcome you here to Israel. On behalf of all the Christians who support our Aliyah efforts, we welcome you home!”

Thanks to the generosity of our Christian donors, we are bringing Jewish families home to Israel from all directions – from the north, south and east and west. Please continue to support the ICEJ’s Aliyah efforts in these prophetic times of the great Ingathering of Israel.

Make a donation today at:  help.icej.org/aliyah

Please watch our special video of the French Jewish immigrants arriving on Monday 3 August 2026.