424
Itongadol.- Hundreds of new immigrants will celebrate their move to Israel on Sunday at a special event to mark the unofficial national immigration day, "Yom Ha\’aliyah."
The event will be held under auspices of several organizations that cater to new immigrants, including TLV Internationals, Nefesh B\’Nefesh, the Tel Aviv-Jaffa Municipality\’s Immigrant Absorption Department, the Jewish National Fund\’s JNFuture and the Am Yisrael Foundation.
Sunday is the 10th day of the Jewish month of Nissan, and organizers chose the date because it is when the ancient Israelites crossed the Jordan River into the Land of Israel after decades of wandering in the desert.
"It is an honor to mark that date as a new holiday," said Jay M. Shultz, president of the Am Yisrael Foundation. "The story of aliyah is unique for the people of Israel and connects Jews of all stripes."
Legislation aimed at turning the 10th of Nissan as a national holiday is nearing its final passage in the Knesset. It is widely supported both within and outside the coalition.
Nefesh B\’Nefesh Executive Vice President Zev Gershinsky said that immigrants to Israel "serve as the fabric that connects and strengthens all of us. We are proud to be a driving force behind the creation of Yom Ha\’aliyah."