29-Member Family From Chile Makes Aliya

Israel National News ^ | April 16, 2003

[yonif]

Seventy one-year-old Maria Argushi, her seven children, 14 grandchildren, and 4-month old great-grandson, all of whom arrived in Israel last week, now live at the Jewish Agency’s Tapuz Absorption Center in Nahariya.

“Our large family from the city of Conception in Southern Chile was always very careful to lead a strict Jewish life,” says Maria. “We have dreamed of coming to Israel our entire lives.” For many years the dream was put on the back burner, after several of her brothers tried to get to Israel through Argentina, but a few succumbed to the hardships of the trek and died trying to cross the Andes Mountains. The others reached Buenos Aires, but never managed to get to Israel. Last week, 29 members of the family – four generations – finally realized the dream. A son and a daughter remained behind, but the family hopes that the stories from Israel will convince them to join their kinfolk.

The newcomers are now beginning to explore Israel; last week they strolled along the beach in Nahariya. “The most amazing thing about Israel is the security," says Maria’s son Javier Torres. “In Chile everyone speaks about the war with Iraq that is threatening Israel and here everyone is so relaxed . . . .”

[Hila]

Thanks, Yonif. It is awesome to witness how many more scattered Israelites are returning to their homeland. We know the number of those making aliya will increase, from all over the globe they will go up to Zion.