October 8, 2002
2 Cheshvan, 5763
JerusalemThanks to the Jewish Agency, 30 Parents of Lone IDF Soldiers From the Former Soviet Union Arrive Tomorrow to Join Their Children and Visit Israel
A group of 30 parents of lone IDF soldiers will arrive in Israel tomorrow (Wednesday 9 October) to meet their children and tour the country. Their visit is part of the Jewish Agency Keshet program, which is now in its second year of operation.
The aim of the program is to enable parents of lone soldiers from the Former Soviet Union to visit their children serving in the IDF and to explore Aliyah opportunities for themselves in Israel. Most of the children who parents will be arriving today are serving in IDF combat units immigrated to Israel in recent years in the context of Jewish Agency programs such as Sela (Hebrew acronym for 'Students before Parents') university preparatory program and Na'aleh ('Immigrant youth Before Parents') high school program. Some have not seen their parents for several years and this visit will be a boost to their moral. The present visit to Israel will last for approximately a week, during which time the parents will tour Israel and receive extensive information on immigration and absorption opportunities in Israel. They will visit the Knesset, the Hebrew University and other historical sites in Jerusalem.
The high point of their visit will a weekend, together with their children, in Tel Aviv's Tal hotel, as guests of the Jewish Agency.
The Jewish Agency believes that their seeing the reality of Israel with their own eyes, will better enable these visitors to place the current situation in a better perspective, help allay fears, and serve as an incentive to their eventual immigration to Israel. Over 200 parents of soldiers from the FSU have visited Israel in the Jewish Agency's Keshet program since its inception. The present group's visit (the seventh such group visit as to date) has been made possible by contributions from the Hartford Connecticut Jewish Community.
For additional information please contact Yehuda Weinraub 053-927017
Or
Contact the Office of the Spokesman:
Michael Jankelowitz
Liaison to Foreign Press and Media
Jewish Agency for Israel
Tel: 972-2-6202780
Fax: 972-2-6202708
Mobile: 972-51-601706