The current war between Hamas and Israel has been a devastating experience for almost all Israelis, with the shocking images and stories that continue to emerge and the disruption of daily life in most areas of the country. New Israelis who struggle with Hebrew and have not experienced a terrorist war in their country have an even harder time figuring out what to do and where to go, especially immigrants living near the northern and southern borders.
Since the outbreak of the Swords of Iron war between Hamas and Israel, the Ministry of Immigration and Absorption and the Jewish Agency have helped some 2,200 new immigrants to move to safer areas in the centre of the country. These are immigrants living in absorption centres and housing clusters on both the southern and northern borders.
The “overwhelming majority” are new olim from Ethiopia, Ukraine and Russia, according to the Jewish Agency. “All of them feel the psychological impact of fleeing the rockets aimed at the absorption centres,” the Jewish Agency said on its website.
The evacuated immigrants, with the help of the Ministry of Immigration and Absorption and the Jewish Agency, were moved immediately after the outbreak of the war to special facilities designed for such relocation, including hotels and guesthouses, where they receive extra comprehensive support. These include security escorts in light of the ongoing rocket fire on Israel, psychological and social support, hot meals, and early childhood and enrichment activities.
Thousands of new immigrants to Israel live on both sides of the country. Many more are there with the help of the joint initiatives “Go Beyond South” and “Go Beyond North” of Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael (KKL) and Nefesh B’Nefesh. The programme provides additional financial incentives and support to new olim who are willing to move further away from the centre of the country, which is generally more attractive to new olim.
Among the immigrants evacuated from the conflict zones are some 630 immigrants, many from Ethiopia, living in the Ibin Immigrant Absorption Centre near Sderot in the Shaar HaNegev Regional Council, who were rescued under fire from the enclave after the murderous massacre by Hamas by Jewish Agency teams in coordination with the national authorities, and were placed in the communities of Nir Etzion, Zichron Ya’akov and Netanya. In addition, 56 residents of a housing cluster administered by the Ministry of Immigration and Absorption in Sderot were evacuated to a safe area, out of the 100 people living in the cluster. The rest were evacuated independently or were evacuated to relatives living in the centre of the country. The few who chose to stay in Sderot are being assisted by the Ministry of Absorption.
Another 750 immigrants were evacuated from Ashkelon, where they are living in two central absorption centres, the Kalanit and Barnea centres, run by the Ministry of Immigration and Absorption and the Jewish Agency. At the same time, the Ministry of Immigration and Absorption and its staff are also providing assistance in all areas to some 600 immigrants living in residential clusters who wished to remain in the city of Ashkelon for the time being.
The Jewish Agency noted that it is working to find alternative flights for aliyah olim who were due to arrive in Israel and whose flights were cancelled due to the war. Some 116 new olim were due to arrive in Israel this week.
