As we continue to daven for Acheinu Bnei Yisrael amid the ongoing war with Iran, we remain committed to help Americans trying to return to the U.S. and facing uncertainty.
The sudden closure of Israeli airspace has disrupted travel for thousands of people including yeshiva and seminary students and those with urgent medical or personal needs. In this time of war, our sense of responsibility to Klal Yisrael demands coordinated action.
Our organizations have been in touch with the White House, U.S. State Department, and Israeli Government as well as U.S. and Israeli Embassies and have utilized global partnerships developed through past crises. With Hashem’s help, we remain fully engaged with government officials to address every viable option.
While commercial flights remain suspended, repatriation flights into Ben Gurion Airport resumed today. Outgoing repatriation flights for tourists will begin imminently. Details will be released in the days ahead.
For U.S. Citizens:
Enroll in the State Department’s STEP program (Smart Traveler Enrollment Program) for urgent embassy alerts and to be notified of possible evacuation flights here.
For tourists in Israel:
Register with the Ministry of Tourism’s evacuation form to be considered for coordinated departure flights if/when they become available.
As part of this effort, Amudim is collecting information from U.S. citizens who are in Israel and hoping to depart. Click here to access the Amudim form.
We advise those looking to depart to be ready to travel at a moment’s notice.
Travel via Alternate Routes
If considering leaving Israel through Cyprus, Egypt, Jordan, or other unconventional routes, weigh all potential outcomes and ensure your route is properly coordinated, legal, and safe. There are currently travel advisories from both the U.S. and Israeli Government regarding travel to Jordan and Egypt.
We have received many calls from distressed travelers. The following tips may help avoid some of the stressful situations that occurred.
- Bring food for 48 hours – pack for the unexpected.
- Follow all instructions from officials, trip leaders and security personnel. Comply with luggage allowance as excess luggage may not be allowed.
- Remain calm and respectful. Confrontations can result in delays or denial of entry.
- Expect the unexpected – delays, reroutes, and denied entries can occur without warning.
For Egypt and Jordan:
- Act and dress discreetly and avoid visible religious identifiers. In Jordan, tefillin must be packed inside luggage.
- Do not form public minyanim or engage in visibly religious activity.
Join the official YWN WhatsApp status
9 Responses
“We would like to reiterate that a Level 4 travel warning applies to the areas of the Sinai and Jordan, reflecting a high threat. We recommend avoiding arrival to these areas. These warnings are especially important during this tense period.”
Why would anyone not listen to this, is your family not important enough to you that you would put yourself at risk of never coming home?!
To ItsMeNotYou – Israel is also a Level 4 travel advisory. Not sure why you’re judging people who have family obligations, jobs, medical needs, etc. There are many reasons why people feel the need to return home, and this despite the fact that the trips via Jordan and Egypt are extremely difficult. But as long as you decided that there was no reason that someone wouldn’t follow the advisory. They should have consulted with you and laid out all the facts before making any decisions.
Notwithstanding all of the above:- Going to Germany even after 8 decades, is infinitely worse than going to Egypt or/&Jordan
I’m staying – period. I’d rather be in a place directly under HKB”H’s hashgacha – even when he decides we deserve a slap.
אֶרֶץ, אֲשֶׁר ה’ אֱלֹ-הֶיךָ דֹּרֵשׁ אֹתָהּ: תָּמִיד, עֵינֵי ה’ אֱלֹ-הֶיךָ בָּהּ–מֵרֵשִׁית הַשָּׁנָה, וְעַד אַחֲרִית שָׁנָה.
an Israeli Yid
anIsraeliYid-
How heroic of you.
I’m happy to hear the major surgery you had scheduled in the United States can be pushed off indefinitely.. BH
@yitzchokm – you’re mistaken. I’m not the hero – those are my sons, all of whom were called up by the army to help defend Klal Yisrael, including those both to cowardly to serve themselves and are too ungrateful to acknowledge the Hakaras haTov they owe those who do serve. I’m just a simple Jew trying to do what’s right – which includes acknowledging and accepting HKB”H’s kindness in enabling Jewish sovereignty in our Eretz haKodesh – the place where ALL Jews belong.
an Israeli Yid
anIsraeliYid-
Besides not recognizing obvious sarcasm, you’re coming across as a cold hearted Zionist zealot.
anIsraeliYid,
In your first message, I loved your sentiment of staying in EY during this time. But you ruined it completely when you refer to those sitting and learning Torah all day and all night with great mesirut nefesh as cowards. You’re exactly like all the rest of the zionists, who despise the Holy Torah and its “cowards.”
There is nothing more precious to HKBH in this world than His Sacred Torah. Not your godless state.
And gimme a break with your “I’m just a simple Jew” nonsense. Your heart is filled with hatred for the Torah and its princes.
@yitzchokm – of course I recognized your mocking sarcasm – and chose to respond as I did to up the ante. You want to make fun of those who choose to stay because they recognize the Chashivis of Eretz Yisrael? I’ll show you whom you’re making fun of – now do you feel good about yourself?
@Chuchim Fin Ma Nishtanu – I did not post my comments to make you or anyone else feel good – I post them to make you and others think. My sons are also learners – but when they were called up on Miluim, they closed their Gemaras and left the walls of the Beis Medrash to go out and defend Klal Yisrael, as required by Halacha. Despise Torah? Not at all. I can’t even say I despise those who warp and distort Torah into a shovel to dig with, using it as a reason to refuse to fulfill their requirements to the Tzibur. I may despise their actions – but as Bruria the wife of Rav Meir pointed out, it says “Yitamu CHATA’IM min ha’aretz”, not CHOT’IM – so I hope they do Teshuva.
They need to finally move on to the next words after “Lilmod uLelamed”, to “Lishmor v’La’asos”. Learning alone is not enough – there’s also a need for actions.
You and others make regular arguments about the evils of the State and Zionism. But this war is not about politics – it’s about defending the lives of Jews, who would be very much dead without the army defending them – period. I see no Hetter for refusing to join in the defense of one’s fellow Jews
an Israeli Yid