In October, The Fellowship had the opportunity to meet and speak with Jews making aliyah on Freedom Flights from the former Soviet Union, specifically from the country of Georgia. Ekaterina and her husband, Ilia, are one such couple.
Like many who relocated from Russia to Georgia, Ekaterina and Ilia left most of their belongings behind and traveled light. They had been planning to move to Israel for several years, and Georgia was meant to be a temporary stop while they got everything in order. They built stable lives there, with Ilia working as a venture capital fund analyst and Ekaterina as an HR manager at an IT company. However, the aliyah process can be difficult to navigate.
Ekaterina is no stranger to Israel. She first visited as a student and returned many times to visit friends and family who had moved there. This includes her older sister and brother-in-law, who are raising a family in Israel. This is the life Ekaterina aspires to once she and Ilia make aliyah—to build their careers, raise a family of their own, and become part of Israeli society.
“For us, it’s important to be part of the country –to contribute, to grow, to belong,” said Ekaterina, “It’s not only about tickets and documents, it’s about feeling that someone truly cares and wants your aliyah to be successful.”
The Fellowship first met Ekaterina and Ilia at a seminar about Israel’s Independence Day. From there, staff were able to answer their questions about making aliyah and guide them through the process.
“Thank you for changing our lives. Your help gives people like us the chance to come home, to start over, and to build a better future in Israel,” Ekaterina said before boarding the flight.
