April 29, 2009

Shalom,

Looking at my watch I realized that I was early. The event at the Western Wall welcoming 72 new olim (immigrants) brought by The Fellowship from South Africa to Israel wouldn’t begin for another hour. I sat and waited with overwhelming anticipation and excitement, because seeing the look on Jewish immigrants’ faces when they are brought from the airport in Tel Aviv straight to the Western Wall in Jerusalem is a vision that never gets stale.

During the hour prior to the immigrants’ arrival I decided to go and pray for them, as well as for the donors who made possible their aliyah. I inserted a note into the Western — Wall the traditional practice at this, the holiest site in all of Judaism — asking God to fill the lives of the new olim, as well as the lives of our Christian friends, with protection, happiness, and peace. I placed my head on the Wall and found tears streaming down my face at the realization that, with the return of this group of Jewish exiles, I was again witnessing firsthand the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. Isaiah envisioned Jews returning to Jerusalem from all four corners of the earth, and when I turned around and saw that I was surrounded by Jewish immigrants from Ethiopia, India, Iran, Russia, and North America, all praying together, it sent chills up my spine.

Before I knew it the hour passed, and there in front of me stood the 72 new immigrants from South Africa. Their faces were filled with emotion. Children sat on their fathers’ shoulders laughing, while mothers covered their open mouths with their hands in awed reverence at the sight of the Old City of Jerusalem. I heard a nine year old girl standing behind me whisper to her younger brother, “I told you we would get here one day. We are now finally home.”

In South Africa many of these Jews lived in fear because of the constant violence and unrest. Almost all of the immigrants I spoke to have experienced the terrifying ordeal of being robbed, held at gunpoint, or carjacked. In South Africa, these acts of violence are daily occurrences. I heard stories from elderly people who waited over 20 years to move to Israel, and saw children who were too young to speak. Looking over this group of people who came from South Africa and yet are now Israeli, I thanked God for performing this miracle, and for using The Fellowship and its donors as His vehicle to do so. I prayed that all Jews would soon follow in the footsteps of these new immigrants.

During the ceremony in front of the Western Wall each person received their Israeli ID card. This was the beginning of their new lives in the Jewish homeland. For many people, receiving that blue ID card that states their nationality as Israeli — a legal document that affirms what we have always known to be true from the Bible — was the climax of their journey to Zion. As each individual walked up to the podium to receive their cards, cameras flashed, smiles shined, and tears flowed. It was the culmination of fervent prayers carried on through 2,000 years of exile and persecution. But, finally, these Jews were home!

Before everyone dispersed to begin their lives anew in the Promised Land, we all stood together and loudly sang out the Israeli national anthem, Hatikva, which means “hope” in Hebrew. There is no better word to describe the feelings that I had at that very moment. Welcoming 72 new immigrants to Israel during the same week that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad once again spewed forth his venomous attacks against Israel at the United Nations-sponsored Durban II conference was ironic as well as symbolic. The immigrants that The Fellowship continues to bring to Israel thanks to your generous help and support are the greatest demonstration to the world that Israel is here to stay and is stronger than ever. The 2,000 year old hope of the Jewish people to be a free and sovereign nation in the Land of Israel has been realized. Hatikva!

With blessings from Jerusalem,
Yael

Yael Eckstein poses
with a new immigrant family

Finally fulfilling their dream
of living in the Promised Land

A proud new Israeli citizen
displays his ID card