More than 20,000 Jewish immigrants from about 100 countries arrived in Israel over the past year, Israel’s Aliyah and Integration Ministry and the Jewish Agency said in a joint statement on Monday, ahead of the Jewish New Year.
The bulk of the olim (Jews who immigrate to Israel by virtue of the Law of Return) came from Russia, France and the United States, according to the statement.
“For more than 20,000 new olim, this is their first Rosh Hashanah at home—in the State of Israel,” the statement quoted Aliyah and Integration Minister Ofir Sofer as saying, referring to the holiday that begins on the evening of Sept. 11.
He noted that a significant increase was recorded in immigration from France and the United Kingdom, and that the trend of Jewish immigration from Western countries is expected to “continue and strengthen.”
“The fact that more than a third of this year’s olim are young people aged 18-35, alongside many families seeking to build a future for their children in Israel, attests to the trust placed in the State of Israel,” he continued. “Every oleh who arrives strengthens society, the economy, and the resilience of the country, and aliyah is a central component of its future.”
In addition, the statement said that Sofer and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich have initiated a tax reform to ease immigrants’ integration into the Israeli economy. The immigration figures included 414 physicians who arrived in Israel, alongside professionals in other in-demand fields.
The Jewish Agency has also advanced dedicated aliyah tracks for Israel’s north and south, aimed at strengthening the regions hardest hit during the War of Redemption demographically, communally and economically.
Among these initiatives is the “Garinei Aliyah” (“seeds of immigration”) model, in which groups of young immigrant families arrive in Israel together and are absorbed into local communities and municipalities, the Aliyah and Integration Ministry said.
Maj. Gen. (res.) Doron Almog, chairman of the Jewish Agency, said, “Aliyah is a profound expression of unconditional love, of trust in the future of the State of Israel and in the power of the Jewish people to build here together the next chapter of the Zionist enterprise.”
He continued, “Even in a complex and challenging year, thousands of Jews from every corner of the world have chosen to take the big step and call Israel home. This is the essence of Zionism. Aliyah is the strongest answer to every challenge we face; it is a growth engine that contributes to strengthening the State of Israel. … This is the time to act powerfully to bring hearts closer and to welcome thousands of olim with great love.”
