Homeward bound: 43 New Yorkers among 225 aboard 65th Nefesh B’Nefesh aliyah charter

As the wheels under Nefesh B’Nefesh’s 65th aliyah charter flight rose from a JFK runway on Tuesday afternoon, the olim onboard cheered their journey home.

“Israel wants you, Israel needs you, Israel’s waiting to welcome you,” NBN Executive Director Yehoshua Fass told the 225 olim — including 43 from New York — before boarding. “Israel needs your optimism, your idealism and your chizuk.”

“Your decision will set in motion a new legacy for your children, grandchildren and great grandchildren,” he said. He congratulated the olim for making the decision to “be part of this incredible move.”

“We are continuing to see more and more newcomers choosing to be part of the Zionist story, at a time when the State of Israel is facing difficult times and worldwide anti-Semitism is on the rise at an alarming rate,” said Minister of Aliyah and Integration Ofir Sofer.

Sofer flew to New York to accompany the olim on their journey to Israel.

“Usually during war, people leave their country. Here, you’re coming home,” Sofer told the olim before they boarded at JFK.

The continued flow of olim to the Jewish state “shows the enemies of Israel they cannot put us down,” Fass said.

As the pre-flight ceremony concluded, the olim sang Hatikvah. When the plane touched down at Ben Guiron International Airport in Tel Aviv 12 hours later, they clapped and sang Am Israel Chai.

The flight was the first charter arranged by NBN since the Oct. 7, 2023, invasion. It carried 45 families, 125 children and 10 singles. The youngest oleh was 9 months old, and the oldest 72 years old.

None of the olim interviewed by The Jewish Star expressed the slightest concern about safety in Israel, some emphasizing they would be safer there than in New York.

The ElAl charter flight was carried out by NBN in partnership with Israel’s Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, the Jewish Agency for Israel, Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael (KKL), and the Jewish National Fund-USA.

Over 30 of the olim are part of the NBN–KKL Go Beyond initiative, focused on strengthening Jerusalem and Israel’s peripheral regions.

In addition to those from New York, olim on the flight are from communities in Iowa, New Jersey, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Florida, Washington state and Ontario — enroute to Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Modi’in, Beersheba, Haifa and Zikhron Ya’akov.

Including those on the charter, more than 1,000 new immigrants were set to arrive in Israel this month alone, the highest monthly total in over 20 years, according to NBN. Since the events of October 7, 2023, over 7,000 new immigrants from North America have made aliyah despite the ongoing conflict.

For past flights, NBN promoted the number of lone soldiers on board. While they acknowledged that a few lone soldiers flew this week, they suggested that the late-August timing of the flight kept the number low. No explanation was offered for the lack of promotion, which some attributed to security or political considerations.

A major sendoff ceremony that in the past was staged in a public area of JFK’s Terminal 4 — accessible to the public and including family members of the olim — this week was held for passengers only at the departure gate inside the airport's security perimeter, with Port Authority of NY and NJ police keeping watch.

“Today’s charter flight is not just a symbolic journey home, it’s a tangible investment in Israel’s future,” said Tony Gelbart, NBN co-founder and chairman.

"Seeing children, families, young people and adults choosing to tie their fate to that of the Jewish people is a powerful uplifting declaration of deep belonging,” said Chairman of the Jewish Agency Maj. Gen. (Res.) Doron Almog.

"Zionist strength is measured through actions," said Ifat Ovadia Luski, KKL chairwoman. "Every new immigrant that came today will continue to build, develop and flourish.”

This year’s charter flight tested a new initiative in which representatives from Israel’s Ministry of Aliyah and Integration and the Population and Immigration Authority issued Teudot Zehut (Israeli ID’s) and distributed Teudot Oleh (immigration certificates) mid-flight, allowing the newcomers to officially finalize their aliyah process before landing, NBN said.