Monday, September 18, 2017

Amazing: Final Surviving Crewman From Operation Magic Carpet Talks About The Rescue of Yemenite Jewry

An amazing, amazing chapter in Jewish history.

What a remarkable privilege to be a part of this. 

Imagine playing a role in the in-gathering of the exiles!

WOW. 

(Kudos to writer Cathryn J. Prince for a beautifully written piece. Really lovely style.)

"Before he launched his decades long investigation into the disappearance of Amelia Earhart, but well after he’d flown over 100 US Navy combat missions during World War II, Ret. Cpt. Elgen M. Long was saving lives in the skies over Yemen."

"Now 91, Long is the last surviving Alaska Airlines crewmember who participated in “On Eagle’s Wings,” part of Operation Magic Carpet, the airlift that brought 50,000 Yemenite Jews to Israel between 1948 and 1950."

CHILLS:

“They had no luggage. Most of them didn’t even have shoes. They walked from wherever they lived to get there [the base]. They walked barefoot through the desert to get here. Some came from Sana’a, [235] miles away,” Long said.

"They stood before the plane. Their hesitation and trepidation palpable."

Many had never seen a plane before. Then their rabbi told them: ‘This is your eagle that is going to take you on your Aliyah,’” Long said, referring to the a the passage from Exodus 19:4 “I bear you on eagles’ wings and brought you unto myself.