Iranian blogger Neda Amin, who arrived in Israel last Thursday after being threatened with deportation from Turkey, on Tuesday began intensive Hebrew classes as part of The Jewish Agency for Israel’s flagship Ulpan Etzion program in Jerusalem.
Chairman of the Executive of The Jewish Agency for Israel Natan Sharansky said in a statement: “Israel was created to serve as a homeland for a persecuted people. The Jewish Agency, which has welcomed millions of Jews home to Israel, is proud to play a part in easing Neda’s integration into her country of refuge. I spoke to Neda earlier on, welcoming her to Israel and wishing her much success in her studies, and I expressed the hope that she will one day be able to return to a free Iran and contribute to the restoration of the historically close ties between our two nations.”
Hundreds of young professional immigrants from around the world join Ulpan Etzion each year, studying Hebrew, exploring opportunities for employment and academic studies, and preparing for life in their new homeland. Participants typically spend five months in the program, which offers on-campus accommodation at The Jewish Agency’s Beit Canada Immigrant Absorption Center in southern Jerusalem and in several other locations around Israel.