‘Aliyah’ and Bible Prophecy: Christians Help Israel Welcome New Immigrants – CBN News John Waage

New Immigrants

TEL AVIV, Israel – Three hundred Jewish immigrants landed at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport Monday. 

Both Jewish and Christian leaders gave them a joyous welcome, celebrating their “aliyah” during 

Israel’s 70th anniversary year. As CBN News John Waage reports, they’re helping fulfill Bible prophecy.

In Hebrew, it’s called aliyah – or going up to the Land of Israel. These new immigrants are joining 

millions of other Israelis who’ve made aliyah in the 70 years since Israel became a modern nation.

New immigrants from France, the former Soviet Union and South America at Ben Gurion 

International Airport, Photo, CBN News, Jonathan Goff

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Both outgoing Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharanksy and the new chairman, Isaac Herzog, 

were on hand to greet them.

Nearly 200 of these brand new soon-to-be Israelis are from France, and many of them are children. 

France is just one of a number of countries in Europe and throughout the globe where the danger to 

Jews is growing.

“It’s very concerning what’s happening in western Europe [and] also in other parts of the world where 

you see anti-Semitism raising its ugly head, whether it’s in the form of anti-Semitism or anti-Israel 

sentiments, which are basically just masking anti-Semitism,” Angels of Zion Director Danielle Mor 

told CBN News.

Mor says the Jewish Agency has kept a promise since Israel’s rebirth as a modern nation 70 years ago.

“Never again! Never again will there be a Jewish person who is in danger, who is full of hope, who 

wants to come to Israel and the doors are closed,” she said.

One new arrival, a pianist from France named Thierry Haddad, said radical Muslim anti-Jewish 

violence factored into his move.

“It’s more and more true,” he said. “Also, the politics [politicians] try to protect, but it’s difficult.”

Sarah Rachel Levy came alone from Paris. She told CBN News anti-Semitism didn’t drive her out. 

It was more of a calling.

“I would be with my people and my God on my land. It was an obligation for me. If I didn’t do that 

it’s like I am dead. I don’t know how to say it.”

In addition to the arrivals from France, other immigrants came from the former Soviet Union and 

South America.

Photo, CBN News, Jonathan Goff

Sharansky, a world-renowned human rights activist and former Russian dissident, made aliyah when 

he was released from the Soviet Union in 1978. He told the gathering, “Despite all the challenges of 

today in Israel and despite all the slander against it, Jews continue to make aliyah, and the number of 

immigrants is rising from year to year.”

Christian leaders also played a role in the welcome home ceremony. They’ve been helping Jewish 

immigrants get to Israel for decades. Why?

Tom Hess, director of the All Nations Convocation in Jerusalem, says the 700 references to aliyah 

in the Bible make it clear it’s something close to God’s heart.

“It says in scripture that God will bring His people back from the north, south, east and west. Most of 

the people have come from the north and the south and the east. But 90 percent of the people outside

of Israel today are in the west. So we know there’s going to be a massive aliyah, not only continuing 

from the north, but from the west. God will bring back millions and millions of Jews,” Hess said.