Ethiopian Jews, believed to be descendents of one of Israel’s “lost tribes,” the tribe of Dan, longed for generations to return to their biblical homeland. Yet, for many years brutal civil wars and the rise of a Communist dictatorship hostile to Jews made the possibility of their ever making aliyah (immigrating to Israel) seem remote at best. Thankfully, the oppressive regime finally fell. Since then, with the help of The Fellowship's On Wings of Eagles program, thousands of these desperate Ethiopian Jews have made aliyah (immigrated to Israel), in fulfillment of the biblical prophecy that promises the return of Jewish exiles "from the four corners of the earth" (Isaiah 11:12).

On Wings of Eagles Success Stories

IFCJ Helps an Immigrant Better Her Life and Her Community

Tadela, who is in her third week of studies in the nurse’s aide program through the Fellowship-funded program at Herzog Hospital, expressed her joy at living in Israel and embarking on a career that holds a promising future. Read More

Arriving on the Wings of Eagles

Ulegar is one Ethiopian Jew who has been airlifted to Israel via Wings of Eagles. She is a widow whose husband died after a few years of marriage. Her single comfort was their only child, a beloved son. But when the Ethiopian military came to Ulegar's village picking up boys to join the army, her son was taken. Sadly, she never saw him again. Read More

A "single" mother supports her family

Aziza, a 28-year-old immigrant from Ethiopia, came to Israel with her baby daughter two years ago, thanks to The Fellowship's On Wings of Eagles program. Aziza's husband is still in Ethiopia, waiting for his chance to join Aziza in Israel. "It was so difficult leaving my husband in Ethiopia," she says, "but we didn't know when we would have another chance." Read More

A poor immigrant becomes a good role model

Sarkalem, 35, arrived in Israel from Ethiopia in 1992. She remembers well the village where she was raised and the mud hut that she called home for half of her life. "When I arrived in Israel, I'd never seen electricity, plumbing, or big buildings," Sarkalem explains. "I thought that I was coming to the biblical Jerusalem with the Temple services being performed. I literally had to start learning from square one." Read More

A lost soul becomes a lawyer

Efrata is a 27-year-old immigrant from Ethiopia who recently received her law degree in Israel after a long journey filled with hardships and tests. Efrata arrived in Israel with her parents and nine siblings when she was 10 years old. The young children went to school and those older than 15 were sent to work. Read More

An outsider teaches others the way

Ruthie came to Israel from Ethiopia with her three older siblings and elderly parents. Her father died of heart disease two years after their aliyah (immigration to Israel) and left her mother alone with three children and no job. Read More