Project Spotlight: On Wings of Eagles

The Fellowship  |  October 29, 2019

For many Jews, making aliyah (immigrating to Israel) is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. The nation of Israel is a blessing to the Jewish people, who for so long had nowhere to take refuge from anti-Semitic hatred and persecution. Jews around the world need Israel now more than ever.

Currently, many Jews live in countries where life is no longer safe for them. There is an ongoing crisis in war-torn Ukraine, where citizens no longer have critical infrastructure, reliable healthcare, or secure income.

Anti-Semitism is also on the rise in France and throughout Europe, and threats to the Jewish community there are becoming dire – showing how deeply-rooted and dangerous anti-Semitism still is today. Many Jews are praying to make aliyah to find safety and a new life in the Holy Land.

Thankfully, The Fellowship’s On Wings of Eagles program assists needy Jews in making aliyah on Fellowship Freedom Flights. They come from all over the world — Russia, France, Ukraine, Argentina, and elsewhere — to escape anti-Semitism and extreme poverty, and to realize the dream of living in their biblical homeland. Just ask Valeriia and her family.

Thank You for Making Aliyah Possible!

Six-year-old Valeriia will make aliyah (immigrate to Israel) with her parents, Volodymyr and Daria, on a Fellowship Freedom Flight. Coming all the way from Ukraine, the three are excited to relocate to their biblical homeland. First on their list is to learn Hebrew, so they can acclimate to Israeli life.

“We’re coming to Israel with our lovely daughter Valeriia,” says Daria. “She was very eager to go to school this year. However, we also decided to cut her some slack and give her the opportunity to first get acquainted with Hebrew a bit. Next year she can make her dream come true more effectively and efficiently.”

After surviving political instability in war-torn Ukraine, the family knows that the only place they want to live is in the Holy Land. “For our family in general, and for our little child in particular, there are a lot more prospects for living a decent life in Israel,” Daria says.

Both Daria and Volodymyr are chefs, and have more than 15 years of experience in their field. “We’re a young family that simply adores cooking and everything related to cuisine,” Daria says. “I have worked in Poland for more than four years in cooking with positive results. We’re currently studying Hebrew and English intensively with future plans to start a cuisine related business of our own once in Israel.”

The only thing they worry about is that in order to make aliyah, they must leave some of their family behind. “We have a lot of relatives remaining in Ukraine,” Daria explains. “My grandmother, mother, aunt, uncle, brothers, and a sister. Practically the same goes for my husband. The only difference is that his mother and sister live in Poland and his brother in the U.S.”

Still, they want to make aliyah, and are grateful to The Fellowship and our wonderful donors for making it possible.

Please help fill the next Freedom Flight and provide a lifeline for Jewish people in danger.