April 13 1999
Nissan 27 5759
Jerusalem

The Jewish Agency for Israel brings first group of Jews from Belgrade who will arrive in Israel tonight, Tuesday April 13th after midnight. Chaim Chesler, Co-chairman of the Immigration Committee of the Jewish Agency for Israel, will be greeting them at the airport

The first group of 40 young Jews from Belgrade will arrive on Wednesday morning (14/4) in Israel at 3:25 AM, on Malev Hungarian airlines flight MA214 for a two week visit, organized by the Immigration Department of the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI). The aim of the visit is to examine absorption possibilities. An additional group of 40 Jews, mothers and their children, and youth, will arrive in Israel on Thursday morning, April 15th , at the same time.

The Jews from Belgrade, for whom most this is their first visit to Israel, spent the last few weeks in Budapest, Hungary. These are Jews who left the war torn Yugoslavia for Budapest, where they have been taken care of by the Jewish community of Budapest, the Jewish Agency for Israel, and the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee. The majority of them have family left in Yugoslavia.

The youth who will arrive on Tuesday after midnight will be joining over 1700 new immigrant youth from all over the world at a happening at Massada, on Thursday April 15th , organized by the Immigration Department of the Jewish Agency for Israel in celebration of Israel's 51st Anniversary.

During the visit the groups will travel throughout the country, they will examine various opportunities for absorption and employment, and will visit institutes for higher learning. They will also meet with peers who have already emigrated from Yugoslavia over the past few years. This tour is one of the ongoing activities of the JAFI Immigration Department, to acquaint Jews from the Diaspora with life in Israel, and to learn about absorption possibilities. During 1998 over 30,000 Jews from around the world participated in such programs. A further 100 Jews from Yugoslavia are expected to arrive in Israel next week.

Chaim Chesler, Co-chairman of the Immigration Committee of the Jewish Agency for Israel, will receive this first group from Yugoslavia at Ben Gurion Airport. The group will be accompanied from Budapest by Mike Rosenberg, Director General of the JAFI Immigration Department, who has spent the past week in Hungary.

For further information contact:

Michael Jankelowitz
Liaison to Foreign Press and Media, JAFI
Tel: 972-2-6202780
Fax: 972-2-6202708
Mobile: 972-51-601706