Israel will welcome 225 new olim from North America on Wednesday in the largest single flight of new arrivals since Hamas’ October 7 massacre.
The group, which includes dozens of children and 24 medical professionals, will land at Ben Gurion Airport aboard a specially chartered El Al flight carried out by Nefesh B’Nefesh in partnership with the Aliyah and Integration Ministry, the Jewish Agency for Israel, Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael and Jewish National Fund-USA.
Aliyah and Integration Minister Ofir Sofer will accompany the flight alongside Nefesh B’Nefesh co-founders Rabbi Yehoshua Fass and Tony Gelbart. “It’s deeply moving to be on this special flight,” Sofer said. “We continue to see more and more new olim choosing to be part of the Zionist story.”
The passengers join a record month of aliyah, with over 1,000 newcomers expected to arrive in August alone. Upon landing, they will be greeted in a festive ceremony attended by Jewish Agency Chairman Doron Almog and Aliyah and Integration Ministry Director-General Avichai Kahana.
Among the arrivals are 5 physicians and 19 other health care professionals who, for the first time, will receive their Israeli ID cards immediately upon landing. Gelbart said their decision to make aliyah now “demonstrates the depth of the olim’s connection to the State of Israel and the Jewish people.”
Since its founding in 2002, Nefesh B’Nefesh has facilitated the aliyah of more than 90,000 Jews from North America, boasting a 90% retention rate. The organization says olim contribute significantly to Israeli society in fields such as medicine, defense, education and entrepreneurship.