Jewish Agency flies soldiers’ parents to Israel

VIDEO - Dozens of “lone soldiers” (soldiers whose families live abroad) who served in Lebanon during the recent war, were given a chance to meet their parents Thursday after not having seen each other for a long time. The moving reunions were made possible thanks to the Jewish Agency for Israel, which flew the parents in, and which will sponsor their stay in Israel for several days. The families arrived in the country in the framework of a special Jewish Agency operation, in a bid to tour Israel and explore the possibility of immigrating here. Most of the soldiers decided not to tell their parents of their combat service and their participation in the fighting during the war. Andrei Kersk, 23, who serves in the paratrooper 101 regiment, is set to be discharged in two months. Although he was lightly wounded in the war by shrapnel and from inhaling smoke, his mother knows nothing about this. Andrei met his mother on Thursday after having seen her for the last time about a year ago. Hi, mom! (Photo: Yaron Brener) “I told my mom that I was in the army, but she doesn’t exactly know what I do, and I’m not planning on telling her, what for? I’m excited I got the opportunity to see her. I’ll have three days to spend with her and then I’m going back to the army,” Andrei said. Yuri Reznik, 21, has not seen his mother in a year and nine months. She as well does not know the details of her son’s service, and is not likely to learn more from Yuri. “I don’t intend to tell her that I fought in Lebanon. She’s always asking with concern where I am. They see the Katyusha rockets on TV, and the killed soldiers. But I tell her that I’m not inside the mess. I’m very happy with this program. Now she’ll see exactly what we’re doing,” Yuri explained. Hugs and kisses (Photo: Yaron Brener) More than 1,000 immigrants arrive on their on in Israel each year as part of the Jewish Agency’s program for the absorption of youngsters in the country. After graduating from high school they enlist in the army, and many of them serve in combat units. Ever since the Keshet project was launched by the Agency five years ago, some 900 parents of lonely soldiers have visited the country. Some 2,400 lonely soldiers currently serve in the IDF. More than half of them emigrated from the former Soviet republics. During the war in Lebanon, five lonely soldiers who came to Israel from the United Stats, Australia, France, the former Soviet republics and Ethiopia were killed. About 10 soldiers were injured. Chairman of the Jewish Agency, Zeev Bielski, who was present at the meeting between the soldiers and the parents, was very moved: “It’s not often that a public officials gets a chance to affect people like this… it’s exciting to meet a group of people who left their home and came to Israel in order to serve the state.”

Jewish Agency flies soldiers’ parents to Israel

(VIDEO) Parents of dozens of soldiers from former Soviet republics flown to country in special operation, get to meet their children after not having seen each other in long time. Troops: ‘We won’t let mom and dad know we’re fighting’