Making aliyah in a Rolls Royce: 0 to 60 in 18 days

IN CELEBRATION of Israel’s 60th anniversary, the Jewish National Fund’s (JNF) annual vintage car rally took an interesting turn

. Each year JNF sponsors the road trip, where participants (generally wealthy entrepreneurs), drive their classic model cars from the United Kingdom to Israel.

This year, Nefesh B’Nefesh, the organization that is widely credited for re-invigorating and expanding Western aliyah, decided to join the rally. Over the last six years more than 15,000 people have made aliyah with Nefesh B’Nefesh on either their group or chartered flights. This time, however, a vintage car was sponsored by an anonymous donor for the organization, for the purpose of placing two imminent olim (immigrants) in the car, and have them make aliyah by driving to Israel in the JNF car rally.

This initiative was managed by Dudy Starck, the media relations and special projects coordinator at Nefesh. The group acquired a 1948 Rolls Royce Silver Wraith, and then Starck began the search for two media savvy, charismatic aliyah-minded individuals between the ages of 25-35. After a thorough search through Nefesh candidates, Starck eventually confirmed Yaniv Cohen and Aly Singer as the two individuals who would make aliyah in this very unique fashion.

A few days before the rally began, the young men, who had never met before, were introduced to one another, as well as the car that would be taking them on this incredible journey. After some driving lessons on how to operate the classic vehicle, as well as a getting-to-know-you dinner, the two young men were ready to embark on their journey.

On May 18, 25 vintage cars departed from London to begin their two-week journey to Israel.

Along the way, all of the participants forged a camaraderie and brotherhood as they drove through beautiful and exotic locales. That is not to say, however, that there weren’t some mechanical problems to overcome along the way. From faulty fuel gauges resulting in unexpected shortages in gas, to making hairpin turns through the Alps in a car that was not meant for such conditions (for which Cohen and Singer were considered heroes by the other participants for overcoming).

Fortunately, in the end, of the 25 cars that were participating in the rally, there was only one that was unable to make the entire journey.

Cohen and Singer were not the only unique participants in this car rally. Among the participants was Moshe Levy, a decorated war hero from the first Lebanon War, who made the journey from London to Israel with his son. Levy achieved his hero status after running into an Egyptian outpost with a grenade, and losing an arm in the process of taking out his target.

After journeying through London, France, Switzerland, Italy, and Greece, the participants were flown to Israel, with their cars following in an El Al cargo plane. From Ben Gurion Airport the cars continued their journey by traveling to various locations in Israel such as Mitzpei Ramon, Eilat, Herzliya, and the missile-barraged city of Sderot, where local children were given the opportunity to ride around in the vintage cars.

Their journeys finally came to an end on June 4 when they arrived at the Knesset in Jerusalem. There, each of the cars were put on display, and Cohen and Singer ceremoniously became citizens of Israel as they had their Israeli identification cards presented to them by Dalia Itzik, a member of the Knesset.

Singer is currently living in Tel Aviv and is working for Ernst & Young, and Cohen is attending Ulpan Etzion in Jerusalem. Their automotive aliyah may be the first in Israel’s history.

Daniel Stieglitz is a regular contributor to The Voice & Herald.