Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein (left), founder and president of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, welcomes Ukrainian immigrants to Israel. The humanitarian aid group said it plans to double its organizing of immigration to Israel in 2016. Photo: Courtesy of The Fellowship.

JNS.org – The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (“The Fellowship”) humanitarian aid group said it plans to double its organizing of immigration to Israel (aliyah) in 2016.

During 2015, aliyah flights initiated by The Fellowship brought more than 2,000 immigrants to Israel from the Ukraine, France, Moldova, North Africa, Turkey, Uruguay, Venezuela, and an unnamed Arab country. Due to the rise of anti-Semitism and violence against Jews worldwide, The Fellowship said it expects to help 4,000 Jews move to Israel this coming year, and that it will increase its aliyah efforts in countries such as Spain and Russia.

“The historic focus on aliyah as Israel’s national program to rescue the world’s Jews and build the Jewish state has dimmed, but we are ramping up a new, independent aliyah movement to help Jews from around the Diaspora who are still threatened by anti-Semitism and economic hardship,” said Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, founder and president of The Fellowship.

Over the course of 15 years, The Fellowship has contributed more than $200 million to the cause of aliyah, helping bring about 725,000 immigrants from Ethiopia, India, the former Soviet Union, and other countries to Israel. Additionally, 10 years ago, a $2 million seed gift from The Fellowship helped launch the Nefesh B’Nefesh aliyah agency.