Dozens of new immigrants from Ethiopia stepped into the brisk early morning winter air at Ben Gurion airport on Friday to start their new lives as Israeli citizens. Clutching Israeli flags, some passengers knelt to kiss the ground after they descended the stairs from the plane.
The Ethiopian Airlines plane carrying 162 passengers was the sixth flight in Operation Tzur Yisrael, which aims to bring 2,000 Ethiopians from the Falash Mura community waiting in camps to Israel in the coming months.
The planned ceremony to greet the immigrants was scrapped in light of Israel’s coronavirus restrictions.
The flight was funded by Keren Hayesod — United Israel Appeal, which serves as the official fundraising body for Israel. It was financially supported by Peter Wang, a Christian Chinese entrepreneur.
"The fact that dozens of new Olim will celebrate this Shabbat on the land of Israel fills me with feelings of pride and satisfaction," said Ethiopian-born Absorption and Immigration Minister Pnina Tamano-Shata in a statement. "Today, a long and taxing journey of waiting to be reunited with their families is over, and I am happy to lead the return of our sons and daughters home to Israel."
Look at those happy people coming down the steps. Finally, a story everyone can feel good about. Badly needed in these trying times.
Wang, the Chinese businessman who supported the flight financially, told The Times of Israel that his support for aliyah (immigration to Israel) comes from his deep Christian faith.
"’Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens, from there the Lord your God will gather you and bring you back,’" said Wang, quoting Deuteronomy.
"Jewish brothers and sisters in Ethiopia have been praying to return to the land of their ancestors for centuries," Wang continued, citing his concern over the precarious situation in which they find themselves. "I believe God has heard their cries out of distress and seen their longing for the promised land."
Grundwerg told The Times of Israel that there has been especially significant support from evangelical Christians around the world over the past decade.
"We’ve had Christians who supported aliyah from the former Soviet Union, from Ukraine, even from Mexico," said Grundwerg. "But there is something special that many Christians connect to with Ethiopian aliyah."
Grundwerg estimated the cost of the flight at around $320,000. Some of that went on preparations for the flight, including pandemic-related health precautions and other vaccinations.
Most of the funding from the Israeli government goes toward long-term costs, like housing and vocational training, leaving other Israeli and Zionist institutions to support the remainder of the preparatory costs as well as the flights themselves.
While Ethiopian Jewish immigrants from the Beta Israel community are recognized as fully Jewish, immigrants from Ethiopia belonging to the smaller Falash Mura community are required to undergo Orthodox conversion after immigrating.
Required? Buh?
| The Falash Mura are Christian, and have been for generations. |