Nearly 30,000 new immigrants have arrived in Israel since the Oct. 7 massacre, according to figures released on Tuesday by the World Zionist Organization.
The wave of aliyah coincides with the nearly 11-month war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip and a surge in worldwide antisemitism. The war began after the Hamas terrorist attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people, wounding thousands and abducting 250 others. Of these, 108 are still being held captive in Gaza.
“On Oct. 7, a war erupted not against the State of Israel but against the Jewish people,” said WZO chairman Yaakov Hagoel, who greeted the latest group of French immigrants upon their arrival at Ben-Gurion International Airport on Monday. “Today, in many countries around the world, it is hard to be a Jew, whether at school, at work or at prayer.”
Hagoel noted that Israel has seen a “dramatic increase” in aliyah in the wake of the massacre, which, he said, “is a testament to the recognition of the global Jewish community that Israel is not just a refuge, but a beacon of hope and faith.”
Russia tops list; big increase from France
Most of the immigrants who made aliyah since the war came from the former Soviet Union, with nearly 17,000 from Russia and more than 900 from Ukraine, according to figures from the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration. About 2,400 olim came from the United States and some 1,600 from France.
Emigration from North America in the first seven months of the year is up 16% compared with the same period from the year before, while the numbers from France represent a 50% hike, according to data from the quasi-governmental Jewish Agency for Israel.
The number of Israelis who emigrated from Israel has fallen during the war after peaking during the summer of 2023 when the country was awash in turmoil over the contested judicial overhaul.
About 63,000 Israelis who left the country between November and May have not yet returned, compared to 67,000 in the same period before the war broke out, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics.
Future potential
A recent report details a 355% increase in potential immigrants opening aliyah files in France, compared to the same period last year. In the United States, the number of immigration files rose by 62%, totaling 6,000 people, while Canada saw an 87% uptick, or some 800 people, expressing their desire to move to Israel.
“The strong response we are witnessing through this wave of aliyah is a powerful affirmation of our collective resolve to stand with Israel, now more than ever,” he said.
