While most of us were sleeping on Sunday night, the Jewish Agency for Israel rescued 17 Jews from the country of Yemen.  The Jewish Agency has conducted these kinds of missions for decades, bringing Jews at risk to safety in the only Jewish country in the world.  Specifically from Yemen, the Jewish Agency has moved over 50,000 Jews to Israel.  I share with you several articles about this historic rescue:

http://www.timesofisrael.com/17-yemenite-jews-secretly-airlifted-to-israel/

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/mission-to-airlift-jews-out-of-yemen-heralds-the-end-of-one-of-oldest-jewish-communities-a6944856.html

Why could this operation take place?  Because donors support our Federation and we in turn give financial support to the Jewish Agency.  The Jewish Agency staff facilitated all the details before the families were taken from Yemen including all the logistics and now they will take care of the absorption process into Israeli society.   While I do not know all the intricacies of this operation, I can assure you that the above articles make it seem much simpler than it actually was.

One of my colleagues says that Federation has been there at some of most important moments in Jewish life.  This is just the latest example.

Wishing these 17 new Olim (immigrants to Israel) a wonderful and safe Shabbat in Israel.

Shabbat Shalom.