In 1924, it was difficult to imagine that the Jewish people would have their own state. In 1944, the world was confronted with the reality of the Holocaust and the mass murder of 6 million Jews. In 1964, the KGB created the Palestinian Liberation Organization with Yassir Arafat at its helm to destroy the Jewish state that had a population of 2.5 million. By 1984, the population of Israel had grown to 4.2 million. In 2004, Israel boasted a population of 6.78 million, and in 2024, nearly 10 million.

Looking at these numbers, one can see how the Israeli population almost doubles every 20 years. Dreaming about a 20 million-strong Israeli society is not unrealistic. If we work hard and pray, it will be possible even before 2044. Aliyah – the return to Israel – is a difficult struggle in many ways, and for some people, it takes many long years to make it happen.

Look at Olga’s tears of joy! The whole family became Israeli citizens last week. Here’s their story – in 2017, Olga was deported from the Israeli border when they all tried to make Aliyah. Olga’s husband is Israeli, and they made all the possible mistakes in their Aliyah process.

In 1924, it was difficult to imagine that the Jewish people would have their own state. In 1944, the world was confronted with the reality of the Holocaust and the mass murder of 6 million Jews. In 1964, the KGB created the Palestinian Liberation Organization with Yassir Arafat at its helm to destroy the Jewish state that had a population of 2.5 million. By 1984, the population of Israel had grown to 4.2 million. In 2004, Israel boasted a population of 6.78 million, and in 2024, nearly 10 million.

Looking at these numbers, one can see how the Israeli population almost doubles every 20 years. Dreaming about a 20 million-strong Israeli society is not unrealistic. If we work hard and pray, it will be possible even before 2044. Aliyah – the return to Israel – is a difficult struggle in many ways, and for some people, it takes many long years to make it happen.

Look at Olga’s tears of joy! The whole family became Israeli citizens last week. Here’s their story – in 2017, Olga was deported from the Israeli border when they all tried to make Aliyah. Olga’s husband is Israeli, and they made all the possible mistakes in their Aliyah process.

Here’s Olga with our lawyer, Yadin Elam, who, after 7 years of litigation, delivered this victory to the family—they are all Israeli citizens today. No, the state of Israel didn’t compensate her lawyer fees or struggles for many years. Global Aliyah did – through the generous donations of those who love Israel. Would you join us and work towards this dream that Israel will have a 20 million population soon? Please help us to assist many who cannot make Aliyah without our help. Become a virtual family for those seeking to make Aliyah – support Global Aliyah today!

Albert & Heli

P.S. Often, people need more documents proving their eligibility for repatriation to Israel. Can one take a DNA test at Ancestry.com to prove they are Jewish? The Israeli government recognizes only those DNA tests performed with the authorization of the Israeli Family Court. This DNA examination is not intended to show some general connection to Jewish heritage for Aliyah to Israel but instead specifically prove that a person is related to an Israeli citizen or a known Jewish person. It’s crucial to understand that any other DNA result that will prove Jewish origins does not grant the right of a person to make Aliyah according to the Law of Return. Suppose the DNA test result confirms that the person is related to an Israeli or a known Jewish person. In that case, the court orders the Israeli Ministry of Interior to register the person as an Israeli citizen.
This coming year, we will expand our activities to include more people, as thousands who have the right to make Aliyah don’t have sufficient proof of eligibility for repatriation. We assist the applicants in submitting all the original documents to the Ministry of Interior, advise them on connecting to archives in synagogues, and verify and authorize the needed documents. Global Aliyah has the experience and necessary networks in Israel to help in this new situation.

Global Aliyah works to see the fulfillment of the Biblical promises of the return of the Jewish people to the land of Israel, as mentioned in Ezekiel 36:24-27. As the wars and antisemitism have forced the Jews and their descendants to leave their countries of origin, hundreds of refugees don’t have the necessary documents to make Aliyah. Global Aliyah assists those who need official DNA tests and professional counseling.

For decades, Haredim in the Diaspora rejected the notion of repatriating to Israel. No more. Now, ultra-Orthodox American Jews see themselves as ‘the next great frontier in aliyah’ and are moving to Israel in increasing numbers.

https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium.HIGHLIGHT.MAGAZINE-ultra-orthodox-aliyah-to-israel-is-breaking-records-here-s-why-1.10427636

Global Aliyah hired lawyers to revert a deportation order and we got the temporary residence for the young doctor for a year, fighting for their citizenship.

Here is the summary of the article published in Israel daily Yediot Ahronot (www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-4938690,00.html):

Came to Israel as a part of Aliyah project

Dr. Siletsky, a 24-year-old Jew from the Ukraine, came with his wife to Israel as a part of a project to encourage doctors to work in Israel. Two months before they are expected to complete their internship at Rambam Hospital in Haifa and join the health system as part of “Masa”’s unique project, Dr. Igor Siletsky and his wife Dr. Valeria Siletska received a dramatic announcement from the Ministry of the Interior: they had found an old claim that Siletsky’s Jewish grandmother had baptized his aunt and mother.

Dr. Siletsky, 24, was educated as a secular Jew, underwent circumcision, and came to Israel for the first time in his youth as part of “Taglit -Birthright” program. He got married and about two years ago joined a program that encourages Jewish doctors from the former Soviet Union to repatriate to Israel, where the health care system is in dire need of doctors.

Igor and Valeria Siletsky

MOI denied repatriant status

Siletsky and his wife, both doctors, decided to join the project and repatriate to Israel. They received approval from the Israeli consulate in Ukraine and arrived to Israel about six months ago. However, they were recently summoned to the Interior Ministry office in Haifa and were told that their application for repatriant status had been denied – and they were required to leave immediately. The letter stated that even if they would appeal the decision they will not be able to stay in Israel, but must leave and start the process again in their country of origin.

MOI decides that grandmother is Christian

“When we arrived in Israel, we were told that there was a problem with my grandmother and my aunt,” said Igor. “We realized that it had nothing to do with us, and we continued to work at Haifa University and Rambam Hospital. Recently, two months before the course ended, we were informed that we will be deported, on the grounds that my grandmother converted to Christianity. It’s a total lie.”

It turns out that at the time, when they were filling out the application forms before immigrating to Israel, Igor’s grandmother wrote in the application form that she was devoid of religion, but his aunt had defined herself as an Russian Orthodox Christian. When the grandmother was asked for an explanation, she said that her aunt was baptized as a child. At some point the details were changed and the Interior Ministry decided that all – the grandmother, the aunt and Igor’s late mother – were Christian.

Has to prove that he is not a Christian

“Even if they baptized his mother, it is not enough to deprive him of the possibility of immigrating to Israel,” says Yadin Eilam, who represents them on behalf of Global Aliya. “According to the law he or his mother should have been active Christians in order to be denied their right of return. But his late mother was not Christian, she was Jewish in every respect.” “The state encouraged and provided them with airline tickets.”

Now it is up to Siletsky to prove that his late mother did not convert, but according to the deportation order he and his wife cannot stay here for the remaining two months to complete their studies. “It’s stupid,” said Igor. “They know that I am a Jew, and nowhere has anyone ever claimed that I am not Jewish, or that my mother was baptized, and now I suddenly have to prove that I am not a Christian, because of their mistake.”

MK Razvozov: absurd situation

Following Ynet’s publication, Knesset Member Yoel Razvozov (Yesh Atid Party) asked Absorption Minister Sofa Landver to instruct Nativ to exercise discretion in the case and appealed to Interior Minister Aryeh Deri to delay the deportation order until a final decision is reached.

“This is an absurd situation and it will be a great loss for the state and the health system that the couple will find themselves out of the country,” said MK Razvozov.

Global Aliyah helped the Siletskys to receive temporary residency for a year

Long-time friends

M. and R. P. from Kiryat Gat know each other for over thirty years, but they are married four years. R. (76) has become a wife and a friend for widowed M. This fact does not hinder the Ministry of Interior to suspect that their marriage is fictitious.

M. has forgotten the life with two legs. He lost one leg in the II World War, seventy years ago. Despite his disability, he received the education in engineering. He became the head of a department at a factory in his hometown in Ukraine. He was an honored citizen.

R. worked as a bookkeeper at the same factory. She was not only a colleague for M., they were also neighbors – their gardens were next to each other.

“We were family friends. M.’s wife was sick, she had to go through several difficult operations and she could not take care of their garden. Being their neighbor, I helped them to take care of their garden. M. in return helped me with shopping with his little car for the disabled,” tells R.

“Like relatives, we were so used to each other.  When M. and his wife left for Israel we continued to call each other regularly. Six years later M.’s wife passed away and M. was left alone.”

M. lives in Kiriyat Gat, he is the Second World War invalid. He was wounded four times and he got a concussion two times. He has a sugar diabetes and suffers from high blood pressure. Some years ago he became blind in one eye and his hearing has worsened dramatically.

Elderly couple wants to get married

“ I lived with my dear wife for sixty years,” tells M. “But when she passed away, I realized that I am like a lone wolf. It was physically difficult and emotionally unbearable. I called our old friend R. and she listened to my complaints. Since she also was alone, she understood me well. I invited her to Israel. When she arrived, we both realized that this is our destiny. Nevertheless, we decided not to be united immediately. R., being a law-abiding person left Israel after three months. I was longing after her very much and after half a year invited her back. In 2012 we went for the first time to the MOI to prolong R.’s visa.”

Mr. and Mrs. P.

As soon as the clerks in the MOI heard that the elderly couple wants to get married, R. received a deportation order to leave the country within two weeks.

“I have never broken any law. I cried, packed my bags and left,” tells R. “M. was so much looking after me, he himself came to me. While we lived in Ukraine, we registered our marriage in 2013. We lived as husband and wife. Once when I became ill, M. took care for me with such compassion.”

Struggles with MOI

According to M., he asked MOI several times to allow his wife to come to Israel, but he could not get even an appointment. “We have gone through all kind of things – once they deported me straight from Ben Gurion airport,” tells R.

Half a year ago she returned to Israel with a tourist visa. Global Aliyah heard about the struggles of the seventy-six-year-old wife and ninety-three-year old husband. Global Aliyah realized that the elderly couple couldn’t achieve the change of status for R. With the help of the lawyers’ they could gather all the necessary documents.

“Finally we had an appointment in the MOI. As if it is not enough that we are married for four years and visit each other, they interrogated us separately about what we are eating or breakfast and lunch, what kind of movies we watch together. Their final answer was that within two months they’d invite us to the additional meeting in the Jerusalem office. And after that, within one month the MOI will decide whether to give to R. a work visa. I was shocked. I do not know if at our age we have time to wait for these three months. Why would seventy-six-year-old R. need a work visa? It does not give her elementary rights, i.e. health insurance. For a person in her age, it equals with chasing her out of the country.”

M. wipes his tears and continues: “I have been always ashamed to ask for myself benefits from the government. Why should they take away the last happiness I have in my life. Why should they chase away the honest person who has helped a Jewish family? Why illegal immigrants have right to live in this country but a disabled Jew cannot to live with his wife? I beg the officials: honor the old soldier, do not make my last days miserable.”