January 18, 2010 / 3 Shevat  5770

On Tuesday January 19th in the early morning (2.40am) the Immigration of the Falashmura will resume

On Tuesday January 19th, 81 new immigrants from the Falashmura community will arrive in Israel on Ethiopian Airlines flight 404 at 2.40am This is the first flight of Falashmura since August 2008, when the immigration was completed of all those found eligible according to a government decision of 2003.

At 4:00am there will be a welcoming ceremony at Ben Gurion Airport Terminal 1 in the Absorption Hall with the participation of Minister of Immigrant Absorption Sofa Landver, Ministry of the Interior Eli Yishai, and Director-General of the Jewish Agency's Aliyah and Absorption Department Eli Cohen.

The next day, January 20th, another 63 new immigrants from Ethiopia will arrive, with a total of 600 new immigrants from the Falashmura community planned to arrive in Israel in the next few months.

Representatives of the Interior Ministry and Jewish Agency emissaries have been in Ethiopia in recent months examining the eligibility of members of the Falashmura community to immigrate to Israel, according to criteria set by the Interior Ministry. As of now, 600 members of the community have received permission to immigrate and according to estimates of the Jewish Agency's Aliyah and Absorption Department, another 2,000 of the community will receive permission in the course of 2010.

All the new immigrants will be housed in the Jewish Agency's absorption centers around the country where they will be given all the necessary services for them to lead independent lives and successfully integrate within Israeli society.

More than 8,000 members of the Falashmura community are still waiting in Ethiopia for a government decision concerning their immigration. Most of these people have relatives who immigrated to Israel in recent years. The Chairman of the Jewish Agency Executive Natan Sharansky, who supports bringing the Falashmura to Israel, noted that the Jewish Agency is ready to host the new immigrants and efficiently and with dedication provide them with all the necessary services for their initial absorption. Sharansky expressed the hope that with the transfer of thousands of Falashmura to Israel, all the relevant parties – the government and the relief agencies – will bring an end to this painful issue.

Journalists wishing to cover this event must be at Shalom Gate at Terminal 1, 45 minutes before the landing of Ethiopian Airlines flight 404. Check final landing time at 03-9723332
Entrance to ceremony is with GPO ID and additional photo ID