March 24, 2010 / 9 Nissan 5770

Jewish Agency brings 30 parents of lone immigrant soldiers to visit their children serving in IDF

(From left to right) Yelena Kalashnikov, 25, immigrated from Russia 3 years ago is now serving in the Paratroopers, with her mother, Nadejda.
Alexeiv Artium, 19, kissed by his mother, Larisa, immigrated in 2005 with the Jewish Agency Naaleh program for high school students.
Oleg Golovin, 20, and his mother, Natalie, from Ukraine, serves with the Givati infantry reconnaissance unit

A group of 30 parents from around the world are in Israel for a week-long visit with their children serving in the IDF, as part of the Jewish Agency’s Keshet program which brings parents of lone soldiers to visit their children in Israel.

The soldiers and their parents – who were seeing each other for the first time after several years -- started their visit with weekend in Jerusalem and then spent time touring the country. Most of the lone soldiers are graduates of Jewish Agency programs in Israel, including the Na'ale high school program, Selah, the integration program for high school graduates, and Kibbutz Ulpan.

For some parents, this is their first time in Israel. For all, it is a chance to share their child’s new life, even for a short time. This emotional visit often serves as a catalyst for family members remaining overseas, often from the FSU, to decide to join their children and move to Israel.

This is the 37th group of parents the Jewish Agency has brought since the Keshet program was established several years ago, and this trip was made possible through the generosity of the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington and the Jewish Federation of MetroWest, New Jersey.

Photo credit: Sasson Tiram/Jewish Agency for Israel

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