The Aliyah (immigration) of Ethiopian Jews will renew next week as 180 new immigrants land in Israel, the Aliyah and Integration Ministry announced on Thursday.
3,000 first-degree relatives of Ethiopian immigrants who have been waiting for years in camps in Ethiopia will be reunited with their families. as part of the second stage of Operation Tzur Yisrael. The first stage of the operation ended last March, after 2,000 Ethiopian Jews were brought to Israel.
"Together we will make sure that the immigrants finally fulfill their dream."
Aliyah and Integration Minister Pnina Tamano-Shata
The second stage of Operation Tzur Yisrael was agreed upon last November in a process led by Aliyah and Integration Minister Pnina Tamano-Shata and Interior Minister Ayelet Shaked.
Tamano-Shata stated on Thursday that all the integration factors in her ministry and in the Jewish Agency, as well as other ministries, including the Foreign and Interior Ministries, were prepared to receive the new immigrants.
"Together we will make sure that the immigrants finally fulfill their dream and reach home and their families," said Tamano-Shata.
"With the resumption of Operation Tzur Yisrael, thousands of new immigrants from Ethiopia will be able to fulfill their dream and reunite with their relatives in Israel after many years of waiting," said Yaakov Hagoel, chairman of the World Zionist Organization and acting chairman of the Executive of The Jewish Agency. "This is a huge aliyah operation that is being launched in a unique partnership between the Jewish people and the Israeli government."
"The Jewish Agency will accompany the new immigrants in the process of immigrating to Israel together with Diaspora Jewry and will assist in their absorption in absorption centers throughout the country in cooperation with the Aliyah and Integration Ministry, to assist them in their first steps in Israel." added Hagoel.
On Tuesday, a special delegation headed by Tamano-Shata will depart for Ethiopia. Hagoel will join the delegation alongside other high-level officials from the Jewish Federation of North America, Keren Hayesod, the WZO and the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.
On Wednesday, a flight carrying 180 new immigrants will depart for Israel. A day later, a second flight carrying 160 immigrants will arrive in Israel.
The complex operation includes humanitarian activities among the waiting new immigrants in Ethiopia, including medical care and programs for pregnant and new mothers.
The Aliyah and Integration Ministry has set up five new absorption center to help the new immigrants integrate into Israeli society.