100 Soviet Jews Arrive in Israel on Direct El Al Flight From Moscow

More than 100 Soviet Jews arrived in Israel on Monday from Moscow on an unprecedented direct chartered flight by the Israeli national airline El Al.

Among those greeting the immigrants at Ben-Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv was Uri Gordon, head of the immigration and absorption department in the Jewish Agency, which helps resettle newcomers.

“This is very moving, a historic moment,” Gordon said. “One can see on their faces what it means to them to come to the Jewish state.”

Sources in Israel’s Transport Ministry and El Al expressed hope that the flight will increase the chances of an agreement to allow regular flights between the two countries, the Israeli daily Haaretz reported.

The Soviet Union broke ties with Israel after the 1967 Israeli-Arab War, but relations have warmed in the past two years with an exchange of consular missions and dozens of cultural activities.

In 1989, about 12,000 Soviet Jews emigrated to Israel. This is the highest number of immigrants to arrive in Israel from the Soviet Union since the 1970s, Israel Radio reported. In December alone, 3,500 out of the 8,500 Jews who left the Soviet Union came to settle in Israel, the radio reported.