The Israeli government on Sunday approved a NIS 90 million (nearly $25 million) budget for helping Russian Jews immigrating to Israel.
“Following recent events in Russia and Ukraine, Finance Minister Avigdor Liberman and Aliyah and Integration Minister Pnina Tamano-Shata will submit today a decision that adds NIS 90 million for immigration absorption,” said Prime Minister Yair Lapid at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting.
“We expect tens of thousands of olim in the coming months. We are preparing for this and welcome this,” he continued.
“Immediately after the Cabinet meeting, the aliyah and integration minister will convene the Ministerial Committee [on Aliyah and Integration] to map out the needs and government preparations for this wave of aliyah that is due to reach Israel,” continued Lapid.
But there are significant barriers to getting these immigrants to Israel, in part because of the dramatic rise in the cost of airfares out of Russia and the paucity of flights between Moscow and Tel Aviv.
