ICEJ History of Aliyah

The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem is founded in Jerusalem.

Steve Lightle gives a prophetic word that Russian Jews from the Northwest region would come through Finland.

Mordechai Outcry
During Easter of 1981 the Christian Embassy organized demonstrations around the world in support of imprisoned Soviet Jews and prisoners of Zion, equating them with the situation of Mordechai and Queen Esther and the Jews of Persia long ago.

ICEJ Finland is founded and begins supporting the work in Vienna. Eva’s center has helped approximately 60,000 Russian Jewish immigrants.

Jerusalem officially joins the Aliyah work with Soviet Jews in Vienna along with other branches already involved in the work. Ulla Jarvilehto, founder of ICEJ Finland, was instrumental in the start of ICEJ’s Aliyah work.

Soviet Jews begin making Aliyah through Finland. As the Soviet Union did not have diplomatic relations with Israel and consequently no direct flights, Jews from the Northwest areas of Russia went through East European countries on their way to Israel (as prophesied by Stephen Lightle). The ICEJ’s Finnish Branch became one of the main points of contact for Jewish Aliyah from the Former Soviet Union (FSU).

ICEJ Finland organizes the Finnish Exodus Committee that would bring more than 20,000 Russian Jews to Israel.

ICEJ supports the “Exobus” project, bringing Jews to the airports in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and Eastern Europe.

The ICEJ Aliyah route through Budapest begins.

The Raoul Wallenberg Center is established in Budapest to assist the ICEJ Swiss Branch in bringing Jews out of Western Ukraine in convoys.

The St. Petersburg office is established by the Finnish Branch.

ICEJ Finland sends Aliyah bus to Central Asia.

The Far Distant Cities Project is established.

The ICEJ Russian Branch is registered by Aliyah Director Howard Flower and his team.

Chinese Jews make Aliyah through Finland.

The attack on the twin towers in New York on 9/11 begins to increase Aliyah from North America.

The Beit Ha Tikva program begins to help new immigrants settle in Israel as they build a new life.

Russian Jews assisted making Aliyah from North America (until 2012).

An ICEJ “fishing” trip to New York City to discover Jews who want to make Aliyah and need assistance.

Russian Jews assisted making Aliyah from Germany (until 2011).

Howard Flower appointed ICEJ Aliyah director to oversee and continue to drive ICEJ’s worldwide Aliyah work.

ICEJ begins sponsoring group and individual Aliyah flights again.

ICEJ begins Aliyah work in Belarus.

Fishing program begins in France to find and help French Jews and assist them in making Aliyah.

ICEJ starts helping with the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) Red Carpet Program.

ICEJ begins sponsoring Aliyah flights from Sweden.

ICEJ sponsors first Aliyah flight for French Jews.

ICEJ begins work in the Baltic counties of Latvia and Lithuania.

ICEJ begins sponsoring flights of the Bnei Menashe Jews from India (more than 1,000).

ICEJ begins supporting Aliyah from Ukraine (more than 1,400 rescued).

ICEJ sponsors five young ladies from Kaifeng, China, to make Aliyah.

ICEJ begins sponsoring another major wave of Ethiopian Aliyah.

ICEJ responds to major surge of Aliyah from Belarus and the Northwest region of Russia. In both regions, Aliyah has doubled over previous years.

ICEJ increases efforts in providing Jewish summer camps in Eastern and Central Europe.

ICEJ launches campaign to help Ukrainian Jews that are hit hard by the civil war in Ukraine.

ICEJ reaches a historic milestone of bringing 150,000 Jews home to Israel since its start in 1989.

ICEJ sees a surge in Russian Aliyah as a result of the economic difficulty.

A new wave of 2,000 Ethiopian Jews who want to make Aliyah starts—and ICEJ commits to sponsor them.

ICEJ expands its flights program to bring Jews from the North, West, East, and South.

ICEJ helps with the huge wave of Aliyah following the Ukraine invasion—the largest Aliyah in 30 years.

Conflicts, crises, and war drive a surge in Aliyah for a second year running. ICEJ responds helping by thousands make Aliyah