ALIYAH SEMINARS PREPARE UKRAINIAN JEWS FOR MOVE TO ISRAEL

In late February, the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem sponsored a special Aliyah seminar for Ukrainian Jews hosted by The Jewish Agency for Israel on the oneyear anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. More than 100 Ukrainian Jews attended this intensive fast-track program for immigration to Israel, which was held in the western Ukrainian mountains, well away from the ongoing fighting in the East.

BY ANNALIESE JOHNSON

integration assistance. To date, the ICEJ has assisted nearly 4,000 Ukrainian Jews make Aliyah since hostilities started in 2014.

One Ukrainian newcomer that the ICEJ recently helped to escape the war is 76-yearold Rachel Perlmutter, who lived in eastern Ukraine. Her city came under heavy shelling, which made it difficult for her to get medical care and the daily insulin she needs to manage her diabetes. With our help, she made the long journey to a nearby former Soviet republic, where she was able to secure all her travel documents from the Jewish Agency and finally fly to Israel on an ICEJsponsored flight. All her expenses were covered by the Christian Embassy, and she is now living in an absorption center in Beersheba.

attacks and air strikes on power stations. There were major air attacks last autumn which caused a widespread blackout that affected over 12 million Ukrainians.

Ukraine’s Jewish community is still facing tremendous challenges, from the destruction of their homes and towns to the constant threat of violence and persecution. The ongoing war has especially traumatized children and the elderly, leaving deep emotional scars. However, the support of the Christian Embassy offers a beacon of hope in the darkness.

In the midst of this crisis, the Christian Embassy continues to offer urgent assistance to help Ukrainian Jews immigrate safely to Israel. The ICEJ-sponsored weekend seminars guide them on their way. Immigration from Ukraine to Israel is running about 100 people per week this year, after more than 15,000 new immigrants from Ukraine were welcomed in 2022.

Please consider partnering with the ICEJ to continue bringing Jews home to Israel from war-torn Ukraine. Donate today at: give.icej.org/aliyah

In reality, the conflict in Ukraine has been dragging on for nine agonizing years, ever since February 2014 when tensions between Russia and Ukraine first erupted into violence that has devastated the region ever since. As the fighting escalated, innocent civilians found themselves trapped in the chaos, their lives forever altered. That fateful year, the ICEJ immediately sprang into action, sponsoring lifesaving Aliyah seminars away from the fighting, as well as emergency flights and urgent integration support for refugees coming to Israel for safety. Thanks to your faithful giving and prayers, the unflagging support has continued to this day.

The recent JAFI seminar gave Ukrainian Jews information on a fast-track Aliyah program. It was led by senior JAFI official Max Lurye, who was born in Dnipro and has helped rescue thousands of immigrants in the nine long years since the war began.

As the fighting has continued, the ICEJ has been helping Ukrainian Jews at all stages of their journey to Israel, including preimmigration programs, transportation, lodging enroute, Aliyah flights, and immediate

Rachel was born not long after the Second World War, according to Danielle Mor of the Jewish Agency. There was always antisemitism around her. With both first and last Jewish names, she suffered greatly. Yet she never considered changing her name, as she was always proud of being Jewish. After getting our assistance in her time of need and starting her new life in Israel, Rachel says her pride in being Jewish was justified.

Meantime, back in eastern Ukraine, the clashes have been intensifying since last summer, mercilessly targeting innocent civilians as well as critical energy infrastructure across the battered country. As of March 2023, over 8,000 civilians have been killed in the conflict. Sometimes the only light piercing the darkness comes from Shabbat candles due to