9 Tevet, 5762
Jerusalem

63 ARGENTINE IMMIGRANTS TO ARRIVE TOMORROW AFTERNOON, DEC. 25^TH. PRESS INVITED TO AIRPORT CEREMONY

Deputy Minister of Absorption Yuli Edelstin and Jewish Agency Aliyah Committee Chairman Arieh Azoulay will welcome immigrants

63 immigrants from Argentina will land in Israel tomorrow afternoon, Dec. 25^th. This is the first group of immigrants to arrive in Israel since the outbreak of the riots in Argentina.

Most of the immigrants who will land tomorrow will be absorbed in Jewish Agency absorption centers at Ra'anana, Beersheba, Kiryat Yam and in special absorption programs. Upon landing, a reception will be held for the immigrants at Ben-Gurion Airport, in which the participation of Deputy Minister of Absorption Yuli Edelstein, and Chairman of the Aliyah Committee of the Jewish Agency, Arieh Azoulay will participate.

Yesterday, the Government of Israel and the Jewish Agency decided to launch a special operation to facilitate the immigration of Jews from Argentina. By virtue of a newly promulgated directive, which will be in effect for one year, special assistance will be awarded to families, who have immigrated from Argentina. The Ministry of Absorption is accordingly prepared to absorb immigrants who will be coming.

On Wednesday, 40 high-schoolers will arrive from Argentina in the context of the Naaleh program. They will join 100 other high school students from Argentina who are studying in Israel in the context of the two-year Naaleh secondary school program. They will be studying in Shaar Hanegev and Gilboa regional schools. In addition, 26 Argentine Jews will also arrive on that flight to participate in a Jewish Agency pilot trip to examine absorption possibilities in Israel.

For your information

The Press are invited to cover the Welcoming Ceremony which will be held at the Absorption Hall upon the arrival of the immigrants.

The new immigrants will travel on Iberia Flight 6990, departing from Madrid and scheduled to land at 15:55 (Please verify final landing time).

Entry of journalists will be through the Employees' Gate ("Customs Gate") located near Yotvata Restaurant.

Journalists will be permitted to enter from 14:45 to 15:45. Please Bring GPO Card and Passport or Israeli ID card.

To obtain authorization to enter, kindly call the Spokesman of the Ministry of Absorption until Tomorrow, 25^th until December 25^th 12:00 Noon, at 02-6752691/716

For additional information please contact Yehuda Weinraub, 055-284 805 of the Jewish Agency Spokesperson's Office, or Yehuda Glick, Ministry of Absorption, 056-214532.