Zeev Bielski, Chairman of the Executive
Jerusalem, 27 Cheshvan, 5766
November 29, 2005
I am turning to you and all your colleagues, Jewish Agency emissaries of aliyah and education in the Diaspora, with regard to the Na'aleh project, which, as I am sure you are already aware, has for many years been one of the central and important flagship programs for promoting aliyah among children and youth.
I was aware of this program in the past, but since having been selected to my current post several months ago, I have had a number of opportunities to deepen my familiarity with this program and meet personally with Na'aleh participants and alumni, as well as parents, principals and teachers.
There is simply no room on this page to describe the impression this special, magnificent group made upon me, a group of young men and women who left their homes and families behind to come here, to Israel, to complete their high school studies and prepare themselves for aliyah and life in Israel. I stood in awe as I met with the parents in Moscow, who entrusted us with their children in the hope of providing them with a promising future as a citizen of the State of Israel. From my knowledge of the outstanding educational work of the program's administrators and faculty, I could guarantee the parents that their children were in good hands and that we would do everything we could to ensure their safety and allow them the opportunity to maximize their potential and settle into Israeli life as smoothly as possible.