(JNS) A group of 196 North Americans landed in Israel this week on a flight chartered by the Nefesh B’Nefesh (NBN) aliyah agency, bringing the total number of immigrants to the Jewish state from that continent to 3,633 this year.

NBN’s final aliyah flight of 2017—which included 15 future IDF lone soldiers (those without relatives living in Israel)—was organized in cooperation with Israel’s Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, The Jewish Agency for Israel, Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael and JNF-USA.

The group of new immigrants came from eight U.S. states and three Canadian provinces.

“We have had the incredible privilege of assisting thousands of olim (immigrants to Israel) this past year in fulfilling their Zionist dreams, and are pleased to see continued interest in aliyah from Jews living in the Diaspora,” said Rabbi Yehoshua Fass, co-founder and executive director of Nefesh B’Nefesh. 

The new immigrants “will begin building their homes in communities across the country, and will be making valuable contributions to strengthening Israel and the Jewish nation,” he added.

Among the North American immigrants who arrived in Israel this year are 377 families with 677 children as well as 1,677 singles. Their immigration was facilitated through 19 flights chartered by NBN throughout the year. 

A total of 3,676 North Americans immigrated to Israel in 2016 and 3,782 made aliyah in 2015.

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