They were among a 145-strong British contingent who were undaunted by Hezbollah terror attacks and made aliyah on Wednesday on a specially chartered El Al flight from London's Stansted Airport.

The American organisation Nefesh B'Nefesh, which encourages emigration to Israel, had launched a six-day campaign to persuade more than 800 Jews to make the move.

Amongst them was former King David School Yavneh pupil Rivka Bayla Abrahams who grew up in a staunchly pro-Zionist family in Prestwich.

The 19-year-old explained: "It's what I've always wanted to do."

Rivka will live in Afula, in the Jezreel Valley, where she will do a year's national service by working in a children's home.

That was one of the areas targeted by Hezbollah rockets. She admitted that her parents were hesitant, but supportive of her move. Rivka said: "They're very excited, but obviously nervous too."

She insists that she feels more at home in Israel than in Britain.

Rivka revealed: "I'm much safer and happier when I'm in Israel and even though the war has been a necessity, I will still feel safe there. If Jews get the opportunity to emigrate to Israel, then they should grab it with both hands."

Rivka already has family in Israel, as her sister, Chaver, lives in Zichron Yaakov.

Sharon and Ilan Benjamin met in Israel 16 years ago - and decided to move back to the place where they fell in love.

The Liverpool couple, who have two children, Jacob, 8, and Sadie, 6, will spend a few weeks in Zichron Yaakov, before moving to Hadera.

Sharon said: "We came back to England, but we always harboured a long-term ambition to return.

"I think it's going to be fantastic to live in a totally Jewish environment." She added: "The current situation doesn't worry me at all.

"We first started to make plans to move two years ago - and that was at the height of the suicide bombing."

Others emigrating to Israel from Manchester included the Maman, Saunders and Vardakis families, as well as 20-year-old Hanna Bor.

ISRAEL BOUND: The contingent leaving Manchester on Tuesday evening

The El Al flight. which departed from Stansted, was the first ever organised emigration of British Jews to Israel.

EL AL arranged special check-in for the passengers, to ease congestion at the airport.

With mostly families travelling there was a vast volume of luggage, with one family even taking their dog.

Almost 550 new immigrants arrived in Israel on Wednesday morning, on three special El Al flights, which landed simultaneously from New York, Toronto as well as from London. Nefesh B'Nefesh worked in tandem with the JNF and the Zionist Federation in assisting British Jews.

Its co-founder Rabbi Yeshoshua Fass said: "England has been the most natural expansion for Nefesh B'Nefesh's aliyah services, especially as a result of the high interest that has been expressed from the local Jewish community."Speaking to new immigrants at Ben Gurion Airport, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert stressed Israel's success in garnering international support for its battle against Hezbollah.

"As opposed to previous experiences," he said, "the State of Israel was not isolated and not alone.

"A large part of the international community supported Israel and justified the act that the State of Israel took to defend its people."

He singled out the United States, England and Canada for their backing of Israel.

"There can be no stronger [show] of trust in the State of Israel than your decision to come to live here," Olmert maintained. "We are not an easy country to live in, you don't know it yet. You'll find out soon." The premier added: "There is no other home but this one."

More than 3,000 North American and British Jews have emigrated to Israel throughout the summer.

© 2006 Jewish Telegraph