Exodus

Stretch Thompson and Foster J. MacWilliams, two backcountry Americans working for a tiny Alaskan airline service, become the agents of a new Israeli airline. They begin making flights to bring more Aliyahs of Jews to Israel from all corners of the world.

Foster’s first run is to pick up Yemenite Jews from Aden, and their unfamiliarity with aircraft lead them to interpret it as a fulfillment of an ancient prophecy in which God promised to return the Jews to the land “on the wings of the eagle” (588). Despite his repeated avowals that it would be his only flight, Foster stays in Israel and continues running Aliyah flights, eventually marrying his Jewish assistant, Hanna, and settling in Tel Aviv.

With ethnic Jews from many different cultures across the world, Israel develops a dynamic culture even while retaining the spirit and work ethic of its first Aliyahs: “Young Israel stood out as a lighthouse for all mankind, proving what could be done with will power and love” (597). Ari gets assigned to train soldiers in the Negev Desert, where Israel is attempting a daring series of land reclamation projects. Kitty, for her part, has built up the Youth Aliyah program to the point of being self-sustaining, and decides it may be time for her to leave Israel.