June  22, 2010 / 10 Tammuz 5770 

TWELVE JEWS FROM KYRGYZSTAN, AMONG NEARLY 700 NEW IMMIGRANTS
BROUGHT TO ISRAEL BY JEWISH AGENCY SINCE SUNDAY

Twelve Jews from Kyrgyzstan arrived in Israel Monday (June 21) in an operation by the Jewish Agency to rescue Jews from the country stricken by ethnic violence. The 12 new immigrants, all extended family members, were brought from Bishkek, the capital, where almost all of the 1,200 Jews in Kyrgyzstan live today. A Jewish Agency Hebrew ulpan and Sunday school continue to operate at the Jewish school in Bishkek and a summer camp will be opened soon.

At a special reception on Mount Scopus in Jerusalem Monday, the Jewish Agency Assembly welcomed the newcomers from Kyrgyzstan along with some of the nearly 700 new immigrants who arrived in Israel over the last two days on some 20 flights from all across the former Soviet Union, France and Belgium.

In the pictures (left): Three of the twelve new immigrants from Kyrgyzstan brought to Israel by the Jewish Agency Monday (June 21).

(right) New Immigrants Alexander Vog, a French fencing champion, and Reinie Gemart, from Turkey, holding their Israeli IDs at a Jewish Agency ceremony Monday on Mount Scopus in Jerusalem welcoming some of the nearly 700 new immigrants brought to Israel by the Jewish Agency over the last 2 days from the former Soviet Union, France and Belgium. Vog, who considered making aliyah after participating in the Maccabiah games 5 years ago, hopes to represent Israel in fencing at the 2012 Olympics.

Photo credit: Brian Hendler/Jewish Agency for Israel

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