Flight carrying evacuated Jewish Americans from Israel lands at MIA

By Tynisa Senior, Alex Browning

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    MIAMI (WSVN) — A rescue operation to bring Jewish Americans stranded in Israel safely back to the United States has proven to be successful, with one flight carrying dozens of evacuees landing at Miami International Airport Thursday morning.

As Israel and Iran continue exchanging airstrikes, several organizations across the region have been assisting Americans caught in the crossfire.

It was a treacherous journey, with many uncertain of their fate as they sheltered themselves from bombs for days on ends. Nonetheless, they remained persistent and decided to do what they could to flee the area, traveling across the Jordanian border to catch a flight to Florida.

“We couldn’t find another way back we signed up for different ways—evacuation, rescue ways—and it just didn’t work out for us so we had to go through Jordan. We had to get back home,” said South Florida resident Danielle Gozlan. “It was really hard, especially for the kids, hearing the sirens go off every so often. It was really hard.”

Danielle Gozlan and thousands of others Jewish Americans found themselves stuck in harms way as commercial flights in-and-out of Tel Aviv has been suspended as tensions grow between Israel and Iran.

“It was really hard especially for the kids hearing the sirens go off ever so often. They were just terrified,” she said.

Danielle and her family’s journey is like so many others.

Massive rescue operations are now underway as organizations works to bring Jewish Americans back to the United States.

Judy Elias, Founder of Heroes to Heroes, was leading a veterans group through Israel. They also went through the dangerous trip through Jordan, calling on the rescue foundation Project Dynamo for assistance.

“People were scared and they didn’t want to wait. Met them at the Jordanian border, they scheduled the guide, they got scheduled buses,” said Elias. “A few [inaudible] were at the border because they always are but Dynamo was amazing and all of us at Heroes to Heroes were so grateful and it was such a blessing to get them to the airport in Amman. As of now, everyone is out of Jordan and many are home.”

1,500 participants of the Birthright Israel program, a cultural and educational foundation for Jewish adults based in New York, were rescued and boarded a plane bound for Tampa International Airport, not before taking a cruise ship from Israel to Cyprus.

Another group, Grey Bull Rescue, a nonprofit rescue organization based in Tampa, shared photos of 300 Floridians that were rescued from Israel and are en route to Tampa.

The Jewish Federation of Broward County are also actively finding ways to connect stranded Floridians with resources for a safe return.

The United States State Department as well as Florida Governor Ron DeSantis are coordinating chartering flights that will evacuate Jewish Americans from Israel.

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