Israel Welcomes Hundreds of New Olim from Ethiopia

On December 3 and 4, 2020, over 400 olim, or immigrants, landed in Israel from Ethiopia as part of the first wave of Operation Zur Israel.

“Operation Zur Israel follows the Government of Israel’s decision in October of this year [2020] to approve the Aliyah (immigration) of 2,000 members of the Ethiopian community, many of whom have been waiting for decades to move to Israel and reunite with their families,” stated the Jewish Federations of

North America in a December 6, 2020 press release. A poignant video of their landing in Israel can be found at vimeo.com/486986467. Find out more about the history of Ethiopian immigration to Israel at jewishagency.org/ethiopian-aliyah-explained.

The Jewish Agency is able to carry out the important work of bringing Ethiopian olim to Israel and reuniting them with their families with the support of its partners, the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) and Keren Hayesod, and with generous support from The Christian Embassy, the Crown Family Foundation, The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, Jewish donors and foundations, and friends of Israel from around the world.

Source: jewishfederations.org/about-jfna/israel-overseas/i-o-today/israelwelcomes-hundreds-of-new-olim-from-ethiopia

The flight, coordinated by The Jewish Agency for Israel, the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration and the Ministry of Interior, landed at Ben Gurion Airport as part of an Ethiopian family reunification after more than a decade of separation. Image Source: The Jewish Agency for Israel