Anticipated French to Make Aliyah (Move) to Israel
It is no secret that anti-Semitism is on the rise in Europe and particularly in France. France has the largest Jewish population in Europe and threats and incidents more than doubled last year.
Hundreds of thousands of people packed into a Paris square today under extraordinary security for a massive unity rally following last week’s terror attacks in and around the French capital. Dozens of world leaders attended the event, among those was Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
According to Reuters (Paris), “'Israel expects the number of French Jews moving there (Israel) this year, which was already predicted to rise sharply from 2014’s record level, to accelerate further after the killings at a Paris kosher grocery,' a senior official said on Sunday.”
Netanyahu has pledged to find ways to boost Jewish immigration from France as well as other European countries that are being affected by anti-Semitism.
Song For Israel is here to help! We are partnering with the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem to help Jewish people move to Israel (Aliyah). This excerpt from the ICEJ website gives us a definition of Aliyah:
What is Aliyah?
Throughout history, the Jews have often been exiled, or expelled from their homeland. In 70 AD, with the destruction of the second temple they were dispersed from the Straits of Gibraltar to the edges of India. Although dispersed throughout the world, the longing to return to their homeland, however, was never abandoned. It is a centuries old custom for Jews, when closing out the Passover Meal, to say “Next year in Jerusalem.”
Aliyah is a Hebrew word that means to “go up.” While originally it referred to ascending to Jerusalem to celebrate the Jewish Feasts, today it has come to mean the return of the Jews to the Land of Israel.
Aliyah, simply stated, is the ingathering of the exiles from the four corners of the earth — it is the immigration of Jews back to their ancestral homeland. Aliyah “is rooted in the Jewish people’s fervent hope to rebuild its national life in the country from which it was exiled nearly 2,000 years ago.”
Aliyah is Biblical
Although you may not hear the term “Aliyah” preached from the pulpit, taught in Sunday School or even listed in the concordance of your bible (no matter the version), it is biblical. It is also very much on the heart of God, and he wants you to be involved (more about that later).
The prophets spoke of Aliyah — God’s plan to bring the children of Israel home. Isaiah penned some of these promises: “He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; He will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four corners of the earth.” (Isaiah 11:12)
“Do not be afraid, for I am with you; I will bring your children from the east and gather you from the west. I will say to the north ‘Give them up!’ and to the south, ‘Do not hold them back.’ Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth.” (Isaiah 43:5-6)
“See. I will beckon to the Gentiles, I will lift up My banner to the peoples; they will carry your sons in their arms and carry your daughters on their shoulders.” (Isaiah 49:22) (www.ICEJ.org).
Our Aliyah campaign will run through June 2015. To make a donation toward helping the Jewish people who are finding their way “home,” please click here.