250 Ukrainian Jews last Israeli immigrants of 2018: Aliyah is a blessing

The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews brought close to 4,800 immigrants to Israel from 29 different countries in 2018.

DECEMBER 25, 2018 06:51

Updated: DECEMBER 25, 2018 15:50

Last 2018 Aliyah, 2018. (OLIVIA FITUSSI)

About 250 Ukrainian Jews made aliyah on Monday and Tuesday, marking the last wave of 2018.

The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews arranged for the new arrivals immigration to Israel. The organization has now reached a milestone of bringing close to 4,800 immigrants to Israel from 29 different countries, including Morocco, Moldova, France, Brazil and more. This constitutes a quarter of the olim that made aliyah in 2018.

Among the new olim were M. Unesco and her father from Kherson, Ukraine. Both held the position of deputy to the head of the Kerson City Council. Their daughter made aliyah last year through Taglit. Her aliyah and the father's economic situation are the reasons for their arrival this year.

E. Novosad from Odessa is a professional billiard player who won the European Championship twice, and has been the Ukrainian champion for 15 years straight. Novosad tells of how he visited Israel last year with his wife and two-year-old daughter, and they were amazed by the standard of living in Israel, compared with that of Ukraine.

"The education system, the health services, the treatment of children, it is all so different and better here," Novosad said. "We decided to make aliyah immediately."

"The aliyah is a blessing and engine that has fed Zionism for over a century," said Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, president of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. "Last year we experienced a deceleration in the amount of new olim, it gives me joy to see the Fellowship's role growing stronger in our ability to support aliyah, all thanks to the massive investment we put through the process. The appointment of a full time Minister of Immigration and Absorption is necessary."

The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews has been working for over twenty years to help Jews make aliyah. The organization has invested over 200 million dollars, assisted over 750,000 Olim, and was a partner in the establishment of Nefesh B'Nefesh.

The new immigrants who come through the foundation's program receive special benefits, including 500 dollars for every adult and 300 dollars for every child, in addition to full coverage of the flight expenses. The foundation also assists the new arrivals in finding housing and employment.