JERUSALEM (JTA) — The Jewish Agency for Israel has pledged funds to bring the remaining Ethiopian Jews waiting in transit camps to Israel.
Some 8,700 Ethiopians claiming Jewish ancestry are waiting to make aliyah.
The Jewish Agency allocated $4.7 million to assist in bringing the Ethiopians, known as Falash Mura, to Israel during a vote Tuesday at the organization’s board of governors meeting in Jerusalem.
The Israeli Cabinet is expected to approve the absorption of the remaining Ethiopians during next week’s regular meeting.
Israeli Chief Rabbis Shlomo Amar and Rabbi Ovadia Yosef have confirmed the Ethiopians’ Jewish status, the Jewish Agency told the Jerusalem Post.
Israeli government officials have pledged that this will be the last mass immigration of Falash Mura.
