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Last update - 21:39 25/12/2007
Israel welcomes largest group of Iran olim since Islamic Revolution
By Anshel Pfeffer, Haaretz Correspondent, and The Associated Press
Tags: Iran, Israel, aliyah 

A group of 40 new immigrants from Iran touched down at Ben-Gurion International Airport on Tuesday, the largest since the fall of the Shah and Iran's Islamic Revolution in 1979.

The immigrants, from Tehran, Shiraz, and Isfahan, each received a $10,000 grant from international Jewish organizations.

Relatives screamed in delight and threw candy at the newcomers as they emerged into the airport reception hall after a long bureaucratic procedure.
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Two brothers, Yosef and Michael, said they were glad to be in Israel. They declined to give their family name in order to protect relatives.

"I feel so good," said Yosef, 16. "I just saw all of my family. You can't put that into words."

Michael, 15, said he told all his friends where he was going, and they wanted to come along. "I was scared in Iran as a Jew," he said. "I would never be able to wear a skullcap in the streets there."

Others said they felt safe in Iran, discounting warnings that Jews could become targets.

The brothers arrived with their parents and a sister and were greeted by their grandparents, whom they had not seen since the grandparents left for Israel six years ago.

"I'm in heaven," gushed Avraham Dayan, 63, waiting for his son, daughter-in-law and grandson. He said he had not seen his 38-year-old son in 11 years, missing his son's wedding and the birth of his grandson.

A total of 200 Iranian Jews have immigrated to Israel in 2007, compared to only 65 in 2006.

The immigrants who arrived Tuesday flew to Israel through a third country, although which country cannot be published at this time.

There are an estimated 25 to 28,000 Jews currently living in Iran. The Islamic government does grant them relative freedom of religion, although they are prevented from learning Hebrew and face certain emigration restrictions.

The operation was sponsored by the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, a charity that funnels millions of dollars from evangelical donors each year.

Yehiel Eckstein, a rabbi who founded the Jewish-evangelical International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, warned in a telephone interview from Chicago that the situation facing Iranian Jews is critical, because of the attitude of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who has repeatedly called for Israel to be wiped off the map.

"Our feeling is that this is very similar to the situation of Jews in Germany in the 1930s," Eckstein said of the threat facing Jews in Iran. "By the time they realize it's not going to blow over, it'll be too late. All it needs is a U.S. or Israeli strike against Iran's nuclear program for them to come down strong on the local Jewish population."

Benjamin Yakobi, 16, has lived in Israel seven years. Waiting for his cousin, he said Israel is safer than Iran. "Here we are all Jewish, and we are not worried that someone will do something," he said.

In 2000, Iranian authorities arrested 10 Jews, convicted them of spying for Israel and sentenced them to prison terms ranging from four to 13 years. An appeals court later reduced their sentences under international pressure and eventually freed them.

No comment was available Tuesday from the Iranian government or the country's Jewish lawmaker.

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      1.   Welcome hope, brothers and sisters from Iran. Welcome to our 17:42  |  Alex 25/12/07
      2.   So they were successfully BRIBED by Israel. 17:54  |  * BEN JABO 25/12/07
      3.   They`re getting out of town......... 18:19  |  Marlene N. 25/12/07
      4.   kol hakavod, bruchim habaim! 18:23  |  don 25/12/07
      5.   Great news!! 18:37  |  Conroy 25/12/07
      6.   A stipend, not a bribe, false BEN JABO 19:14  |  Judith 25/12/07
      7.   iranian aliyah 19:15  |  elliot 25/12/07
      8.   GREAT NEWS!!!! 19:15  |  Yechiel 25/12/07
      9.   help the Iranian Jews 19:37  |  Bjorn 25/12/07
      10.   Which one is it! 19:51  |  Neil Golan 25/12/07
      11.   Return of palestinians 19:51  |  Yoav 25/12/07
      12.   #3 Marlene N, that`s really dumb 19:56  |  Conroy 25/12/07
      13.   Baruchim haba`im! 19:57  |  Nik "Banned" Miller 25/12/07
      14.   If only 2008 could be the year for........... 20:01  |  Deborah 25/12/07
      15.   Don`t be silly, Marlene H. (#3) 20:09  |  Yonatan 25/12/07
      16.   #11 yoav - " belive all can live in harmoney and peace" 20:11  |  Yonatan 25/12/07
      17.   Its been high time for Iranian Jews to leave since the late 70`s 20:18  |  Marwan مروان خوري 25/12/07
      18.   Welcome home! 20:36  |  New Oleh 25/12/07
      19.   I LOVE IRANIAN JEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 20:46  |  Yechiel 25/12/07
      20.   iranian aliyah 21:03  |  stephen 25/12/07
      21.   I learned all the HEBREW I know in Iran 21:06  |  Jacob 25/12/07
      22.   Neil 21:09  |  Judith 25/12/07
      23.   Yoav, how much can you have to share out of tiny Israel w/Non-Jew 21:39  |  Genuine Tosefta 25/12/07
      24.   Why are you publishing this? 21:43  |  Avi Yerushalmi 25/12/07
      25.   Yoav - Bad idea 21:54  |  Michael Jacobs 25/12/07
      26.   #20 you are correct! Somethings should not be published. 21:56  |  Miriam 25/12/07
      27.   $10,000 Bribe? 22:54  |  Slibovitz 25/12/07
      28.   Clandestine Aliyah 22:57  |  Slibovitz 25/12/07
      29.   No good feeling 00:39  |  Edith 26/12/07
      30.   #6 Judith 00:44  |  Edith 26/12/07
      31.   Parallel to Hitler`s Germany? 00:48  |  Klaus Bloemker 26/12/07
      32.   #21 - that was then. This is now. Things change. 01:51  |  26/12/07
      33.   Welcome Home to..... 02:25  |  ALan 26/12/07
      34.   Two new conscripts for the Continued Occupation 02:32  |  Labhras 26/12/07
      35.   FAKE BEN JABO ALERT@ 2 Pals pals 02:48  |  PETER SM 26/12/07
      36.   they are all on their way to USA 05:10  |  get real 26/12/07
      37.   "get real" - are you a fly attracted to dirt and thus posting in 05:35  |  avigdor 26/12/07
      38.   Israeli society will discriminate against them too. 05:38  |  POP 26/12/07
      39.   LABRAHAS People who now have freedom from the Mullah dictators.! 06:28  |  PETER SM 26/12/07
      40.   Iranian Jews 08:49  |  Ryan 26/12/07
      41.   IS IT GREAT NEWS? 09:14  |  Reuven 26/12/07
      42.   POP Perhaps you are Jew in Israel 09:45  |  Aby 26/12/07
      43.   #3 Marlene N. 10:55  |  Sarah 26/12/07
      44.   #34 Labhras 11:05  |  Sarah 26/12/07
      45.   To get real # 37 - That `dirty little country`...say you 13:53  |  Dagma 26/12/07
      46.   To Ryan # 40 - Iranian Jews. 14:59  |  Annya 26/12/07
      47.   The only Jewish people who would wish to stay in Iran today 15:24  |  Dolly 26/12/07
      48.   These 40 Jews should be given homes in the settlements 15:41  |  Conroy 26/12/07
      49.   Jews from Iran - welcome 15:42  |  Patricia 26/12/07
      50.   #12 CONROY- MARLENE is neither Drunk nor Dumb !! 16:05  |  Anthony Fallon 26/12/07
      51.   #50 Antony Fallon 18:20  |  Sarah 26/12/07
      52.   Jacob #21 -re: Learning Hebrew in Iran 22:20  |  Mike 26/12/07
      53.   #52 dear Mike 23:53  |  Parya 26/12/07
      54.   Praya -- It was probably Farsi 01:59  |  Slibovitz 27/12/07
      55.   The iranian Jews were bribed 05:11  |  Razeef 27/12/07
      56.   Nope! It`s fishy! Lie? 06:52  |  a Real Iranian 27/12/07
      57.   Fake news?! 06:59  |  Iranian Jews friend 27/12/07
      58.   Razeef 12:18  |  Albert Seligman 27/12/07
      59.   I hope you have a good life and happy days ahead 14:40  |  elinor 27/12/07
      60.   Get Real Dumb? 20:49  |  Jasmin 27/12/07
      61.   Fake, is it? 21:02  |  Jasmin 27/12/07
      62.   Klaus Bloomers 17:30  |  Albert Seligman 29/12/07
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