Despite the recent Gaza conflict, Israel is welcoming a wave of over 500 new Jewish immigrants from more than twenty countries this week, according to figures from The Jewish Agency For Israel, which has billed this an “Aliyah Super Week”, with the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem joining in as one of the main sponsors of this uniquely-timed effort.

“Given the intense conflict we have witnessed here over recent weeks, it is quite remarkable to see these hundreds of Jewish immigrants coming home to Israel from all directions,” said ICEJ President Dr Jürgen Bühler. “This is truly inspiring to see these Jewish families cast their lots with Israel just days after the country was under such intense rocket barrages, and it bodes well for the future of the Jewish state.”

During the course of this week, The Jewish Agency expects more than 500 Jewish newcomers to arrive in Israel from over 20 countries, including Argentina, Australia, Belarus, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ethiopia, France, Finland, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Kingdom the United States, and other former Soviet republics.

The ICEJ will be sponsoring aliyah flights for 148 of these new immigrants coming as part of the Aliyah Super Week.

In addition, the ICEJ will be covering flight costs and other travel expenses for 99 members of the Bnei Menashe community who have been approved to come to Israel under an emergency decision of the Israeli cabinet due to the current coronavirus surge in India. The decision will allow 548 Bnei Menashe to come as soon as possible, with the first flight of 274 currently scheduled to land on Monday, May 31. This emergency aliyah airlift is being arranged via a special cooperation between JAFI and Shavei Israel, headed by Michael Freund, who has been spearheading the Bnei Menashe immigration for nearly two decades.

In total, the ICEJ will be sponsoring aliyah flights for 247 new immigrants over an eight-day period ending next Monday. This will bring to 1,132 the total number of aliyah flights sponsored by the ICEJ so far this year.