Faces of The Fellowship: Gabriel
The Fellowship | July 8, 2020
Amid a global pandemic, The Fellowship continues to bring new immigrants home to Israel — all while carefully following Israeli government restrictions to prevent the spread of the virus and ensure their safety. This is especially important for those wishing to make aliyah (immigrate to Israel) from Peru, where shortages of food and medical supplies are causing the healthcare system to collapse. Thankfully, we rescue people like Gabriel from this desperate situation.
‘Thank You a Million Times for Your Support!’
After months of waiting, 20-year-old Gabriel will finally be home in the Holy Land.
He’s one of 37 olim (immigrants) from Peru to arrive in Israel on a recent Fellowship Freedom Flight, which he didn’t think would be possible during the global pandemic.
For months now, thousands of new cases of the coronavirus have been reported every day in Peru. And they have a high number of deaths. “Hospitals are full,” explains Gabriel. “There aren’t enough ambulances and the health system is collapsing.”
But now that he has this opportunity to make Israel his home, he’s excited to make the most of it. His ambitions for this new life in Israel are inspiring—and he’ll be adding to the success and diversity of the Holy Land.
“I really like the fact that I’m going to be living in Israel, the true home of the Jewish people,” he says. He first will learn Hebrew, and then plans to enlist in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to serve the country he loves. “I’ve always dreamed about joining the IDF and it’s literally the fulfillment of a dream for me.”
Gabriel grew up in a traditional Jewish home. His father is the director of one of the four synagogues in Peru, while his mother is the principal of a Jewish school. After Gabriel’s visit to the Holy Land three years ago, he decided once and for all that he wanted to make Israel his home.
“All around the world we experience a lot of hate and anti-Semitism as Jewish people. Knowing that there are people who support the Jewish people is very comforting and admirable. Thank you a million times for your support!”