On Dec. 3, 316 Jews from Ethiopia arrived at Ben Gurion Airport as part of Operation Rock of Israel (Tzur Israel). One hundred more immigrants are set to arrive Dec. 4. In all, the government is committed to bringing 2,000 community members to Israel, after many years of waiting in transition camps in Addis Ababa and Gondar in Ethiopia.
First to step out of the aircraft was a religious leader of the community, blowing a ram’s horn, as in the Jewish tradition in times of redemption. Many of the immigrants waved Israeli flags. Some of the passengers kissed the ground upon arrival, also a tradition when first reaching the Holy Land.
