Israel sees Dramatic Rise in French Immigration

by Shlomo Cesana, Yori Yalon and Israel Hayom Staff

Some 2,250 French Jews make aliyah in first five months of 2014, quadruple the number who moved to Israel during same time period last year • Sharp increase also recorded in number of Ukrainian Jews moving to Israel.

A Jewish Agency aliyah fair in Paris | Photo credit: Lara Ofir

The cabinet on Sunday approved a 60 million shekel ($17 million) plan to encourage Jewish immigration to Israel from Europe, mainly from France and Ukraine.

The plan is an initiative of the Immigration Absorption Ministry, Jewish Agency for Israel and the World Zionist Organization.

According to Jewish Agency data, 2,250 French Jews immigrated to Israel in the first five months of 2014, quadruple the 580 who made aliyah during the same time period last year.

"Never in the history of the State of Israel has there been a Jewish community in the free world that has sent such a large proportion of its Jews to Israel," Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky said on Sunday, speaking about French aliyah.

There has also been a sharp increase in the number of Ukrainian Jews immigrating to Israel -- 1,590 in the first five months of 2014, compared to 684 during the same time period last year. 

Overall, aliyah from around the world is up 55 percent in 2014.

Shlomo Cesana, Yori Yalon and Israel Hayom Staff

Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_article.php?id=18327

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