EL AL ISRAEL AIRLINES HOSTS FLIGHT FOR 150 NEW IMMIGRANTS FROM SOUTH AMERICA TO ISRAEL

New York, NY – August 11, 2009 – EL AL, Israel’s national airline, recently designated a special nonstop flight from San Paulo, Brazil to carry the largest ever group of South American immigrants (olim) to Israel. The spirit on this momentous flight was emotional and festive. One of the olim expressed gratitude upon disembarking and stated, “Our dream of immigrating to Israel began to come true as soon as we boarded the EL AL plane.”  

This special flight was another milestone in the long and proud history of EL AL as the airline continues with its tradition of fulfilling a dream and assisting anyone making Aliyah (immigration to Israel). Since 2002, in partnership with Nefesh B’Nefesh, EL AL has carried more than 20,000 olim from North America to their new home in Israel. Nefesh B’Nefesh is an organization dedicated to revitalizing immigration to Israel. 

Some of the more momentous immigration movements in the history of EL AL are Operation Ali Baba which brought 113,000 Jewish people from Iraq in 1950, just two years after the inception of EL AL.  During the same time period, Operation Magic Carpet saved the entire Jewish population in Yemin totaling more than 47,000 olim. Other large and historical movements in which EL AL played a significant role have included hundreds of thousands of Soviet immigrants moving to Israel as part of Operation Exodus in the early 1990s as well as Operation Solomon, the secret airlift of almost 15,000 Ethiopians to freedom in Israel.  

About EL AL
Celebrating more than 60 years of service, EL AL, Israel's national airline, offers the most nonstop flights between New York (JFK/Newark) and Israel as well as the only nonstop service from Los Angeles.  Worldwide, EL AL flies to more than 40 destinations from Israel and serves dozens of other destinations throughout the world via partnerships with many other carriers (including 22 additional cities in the U.S.A.). Only EL AL has First Class service on nonstop flights between the U.S.A. and Israel. The airline has annual revenues of about $1.93 billion and carries more than 1.8 million passengers every year.   

EL AL embodies Israel’s values of innovation and caring and the promise of a genuine Israeli welcome.  Your Israel experience begins with EL AL and warm Israeli hospitality. Israeli flight attendants will make you feel at home, the best trained Israeli pilots will take you to and from Israel and passengers enjoy enhanced in-flight dining with freshly prepared healthy meals.  

EL AL. It’s not just an airline. It’s Israel.

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