The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem funded an aliyah flight for 57 Russian-speaking Jews who arrived at Ben-Gurion International Airport on Tuesday.
The group brings the total number of new olim the ICEJ has sponsored since February to 1,000, despite the coronavirus pandemic. The flights are being arranged by the Jewish Agency for Israel.
Even with most regular international flights still suspended, Israel has been working to bring back its stranded citizens, as well as Jews from abroad who are approved for immigration to Israel.
Many of these arrivals come from regions of the former Soviet Union where local economies are struggling and the coronavirus threat has been peaking.
In several recent instances, pregnant mothers were determined to reach Israel in time to give birth in the Jewish homeland.
“The corona pandemic has brought much suffering and negative headlines all over the world, but one of the positive stories coming out of this crisis is the surprising surge in aliyah, as many Jewish families are seeking a way to reach Israel as soon as possible,” said ICEJ president Jürgen Bühler. “We are honored to play a key role in this unique chapter in the modern-day return to Israel, as even a global pandemic could not stop Jewish people from finding their way home to Israel.”