Rise in Aliyah: 19,200 New Immigrants Now Call Israel Home in 2013

December 30, 2013

2 min read

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(Photo: Noam Chen)

The Jewish Agency for Israel and the Israel Ministry of Immigration and Absorption released new numbers on immigration to Israel for the year 2013 and the news is promising. This year, 19,200 immigrants arrived in Israel, an increase from the 18,940 who arrived in 2012. Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky stated “That 19,200 Jews have chosen to establish their lives in Israel is a concrete expression of Israel’s centrality to Jewish life.”

Aliyah, the term given for immigration to Israel, was up 7 percent from most countries. Aliyah from France increased dramatically this year, at a rate of 63 percent, due to ongoing and blatant anti-Semitism in France and Israel’s efforts to help French Jews settle in Israel. In 2012, 1,916 French Jews settled in Israel compared to the 3,120 in 2013. However, aliyah from Ethopia went down 44 percent due to the close of Operation Dove’s Wings. In 2012, 2,432 Ethiopian immigrants arrived to Israel. In 2013, that number was only 1,360.

Quick Facts – 2013 Aliyah Geography:

  • Immigrants from Western Europe totaled 4,390, a 35 percent increase.
  • Immigrants from the United Kingdom totaled 510, a 27 percent decrease.
  • Immigrants from Belgium totaled 240, a 46 percent increase.
  • Immigrants from Italy totaled 160, a 8 percent decrease.
  • Immigrants from the Netherlands totaled 74, a 57 percent increase.
  • Immigrants from Scandinavia totaled 54, an 8 percent increase.
  • Immigrants from Spain and Portugal totaled 96, a 3 percent increase.
  • Immigrants from North America totaled 3,000, an 11 percent decrease.
  • Immigrants from Canada totaled 321, same as last year.
  • Immigrants from Latin America totaled 1,240, a 34 percent increase.
  • Immigrants from the former Soviet Union totaled 7,520, a 1 percent increase.
  • Immigrants from Oceania totaled 265, a 46 percent increase.
  • Immigrants from the Middle East totaled 245, a 4 percent increase.

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Majority of immigrants to Israel, some 60 percent, were under the age of 35 and majority were female. The oldest immigrant in 2013 was a 103 year old man from the United States. The youngest immigrant was a five week old from the United States. More than 700 doctors and professionals in the health care industry immigrated to Israel along with thousands of professionals with degrees ranging in the social sciences, humanities, life sciences, and exact sciences.

Sofa Landver, Minister of Immigration and Absorption, stated: “”The 2013 data proves that more and more Jews around the world realize that Israel is their home. Every immigrant who arrives in order to make his or her home in Israel fills me with joy and I hope Aliyah continues to increase. The Ministry of Immigration and Absorption will continue to make every effort to achieve this important goal and make the decision to come to Israel easier.”

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