47 Persian Jews make aliyah together from New York to Israel

Forty-seven Jews of Persian origin from New York’s Mashhadi Jewish community arrived in Israel last week in a coordinated move, settling in the city of Ra’anana. The group, comprising four families, had previously fled Iran following the 1979 revolution. Ariel Dilamani, one of the new immigrants, described the move as an end to their exile, while Jordan Karmily, another member of the group, stated that the decision was driven by a desire to live in Israel as a community rather than remaining abroad. The immigration process was facilitated by Nefesh B’Nefesh in cooperation with Israeli government agencies. The Mayor of Ra’anana welcomed the families and pledged support for their integration. The new arrivals expressed a hope that, in the future, it might be possible to fly directly from Ben Gurion Airport to Tehran.