16 Tevet, 5765

A Special El Al Flight Chartered by the Jewish Agency Bringing over 200 New Immigrants to Israel from North America Arrives Wednesday Morning,
December 29, 2004

On Wednesday December 29 at 10:00 am, a welcoming ceremony will take place at Ben Gurion Airport at the hangar adjacent to El Al headquarters, for over 200 new immigrants arriving from North America in a joint Jewish Agency for Israel–Nefesh B'Nefesh project.

The new immigrants will be welcomed by Natan Sharansky, Minister for Jerusalem and Diaspora Affairs, Chairperson of the Knesset Immigrant and Absorption Committee Colette Avital and Jewish Agency Treasurer Shai Hermesh.

This flight brings the number of new immigrants from North America to a record 20-year high of almost 3,000 in one year. The Jewish Agency estimates that in the year 2004, a total of approximately 22,000 new immigrants will have arrived in Israel from around the world. This includes approximately 10,000 from the Former Soviet Union, 3,000 from France and 3,800 from Ethiopia.

To confirm your participation contact:
Nadia Levine, tel. 054-533-7000.

For further information contact:
Michael Jankelowitz
Liaison to Foreign Press
The Jewish Agency for Israel
Cell: 050-7601706
Voicemail: 02-6202780
e-mail: michaelj@jafi.org