Among the passengers boarding a rescue flight from New York to Israel on Sunday were Thomas and Edna Kraus. Edna, 73, and Thomas, 81, had lived in New York for decades but made the conscious choice to move to Israel in the middle of the war.
“For us, this wasn’t a rescue flight. We simply made aliyah,” said Edna, who was born in Israel before her parents emigrated to the United States when she was eight.
So after Edna's 65 years in the U.S., the couple arrived earlier this week at their new home in Jerusalem. They had already been considering the move for several years. “We talked about it, and my husband said the time had come. Deep inside, the soul feels this is home, that it belongs here,” Edna said.
Addressing the security situation, Thomas added: “We’re not afraid. There are wars here from time to time. It never really ends, but Israel is ultimately our country. There’s danger everywhere in the world. Here, because of kashrut, I can also eat at any restaurant I want.”
The Krauses moved from Scarsdale, New York, and emphasized that their decision was not driven by antisemitism or dissatisfaction with life in the U.S. “America was wonderful to us. It will always have a warm place in our hearts,” Thomas said. “I never experienced anything negative as a Jew in the United States, and for most of my career I worked with non-Jewish Americans.”
The couple said one of their three children — along with their 10 grandchildren — may also follow them to Israel, possibly even to Jerusalem. “Jerusalem has its own unique pulse. Beyond the history, the Bible stories and the holy sites, it has a unique blend of old and new,” Thomas said.
The Jerusalem Municipality’s Aliyah and Absorption Authority has been assisting the couple from the early stages of their move in the United States. Representatives supported them when their flights were canceled and are now helping ease their transition in Israel.
“Thomas and Edna are an inspiration to us all. Making aliyah to Jerusalem at the height of a war is Zionism at its finest,” said Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion. “We are here to ensure a smooth landing and a warm embrace, because in Jerusalem, no new immigrant walks alone.”