The Jewish Agency and the IFCJ will operate a six-point Aliyah program at four different Ukrainian border crossings - Poland, Moldova, Romania and Hungary - acting Chairman of the Jewish Agency Yaakov Hagoel and Director-General Amira Aharonovich announced on Saturday evening.
This decision comes in addition to the Foreign Ministry's announcement of the deployment of staff at border crossings and will work to immediately assist with the expected wave of immigration to Israel.
The operation will take place in coordination with Nativ (Liaison Bureau), the body in charge of the issuance of visas to Israel alongside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Following the escalation of the conflict and until Saturday, the Jewish Agency operated out of a central immigration point that was opened in Lviv.
Following the Foreign Ministry's decision, Jewish Agency emissaries moved to begin operating on the Polish side of the border on Saturday From there, they will cross the border into Ukraine every day together with the diplomatic staff of the State of Israel, in order to continue to assist Ukrainian Jews seeking to immigrate to Israel in accordance with immigration visas issued by Nativ.
The Jewish Agency expects a significant increase in the wake of the escalation, so it is immediately preparing to reinforce the points of immigration that will be developed with additional forces.
At the same time, the Jewish Agency is organizing the absorption of immigrants in temporary housing in hotels in neighboring countries of Ukraine, with the assistance of donations from the Jewish Federations in North America, Keren Hayesod and other donors from around the world.
The Jewish Agency expects a significant increase following the escalation in the security situation and is preparing to immediately reinforce the forces on the ground that will take care of the immigrants until they fly to Israel.
The Jewish Agency works in coordination with the Fellowship (IFCJ), which will assist in the immigration of Ukrainian Jews to Israel along with the Aliyah and Integration Ministry, who will handle the absorption of immigrants in temporary facilities in Israel.
In a complex operation handled by the Jewish Agency, and after a nerve-wracking 16-hour process, the first group of immigrants from Ukraine moved to Poland on Saturday.
The immigrants will be housed in temporary accommodation in a hotel near the city of Warsaw with the assistance of the Jewish Agency, thanks to donations from the Jewish federations in North America and the Keren Hayesod.
There they will stay until they are flown to Israel as quickly as possible. Upon arrival in Israel, the immigrants will receive temporary housing that will be prepared for them, through the Ministry of Immigration and Absorption.