Israel’s most cosmopolitan city remains the number one place new immigrants choose for their new home.
By Tsivya Fox-Dobuler
For the fifth year in a row, more immigrants to Israel chose Tel Aviv to start their new lives in the Holy Land, according to a report by by the Jewish Agency for Israel and the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption.
In 2019, 4,419 immigrants out of 35,119 chose to relocate to Israel’s most cosmopolitan city. While most of the 12.7 percent of Tel Aviv’s new immigrants hail from Russia, the US and France, some come from more exotic places like Singapore, Honduras, Nepal, India and Peru.
According to Hanna Sapir, an International Exhibition Manager who has lived in Tel Aviv for more than 25 years, she believes her favorite Israeli city offers a tremendous amount of fun opportunities.
“I think olim [the Hebrew word for immigrants] like Tel Aviv as it has an international vibe and spirit,” Sapir told United with Israel. “It is a lively city with positive energy almost 24 hours a day. There are many beautiful people, but you can also see many young families with young children.”
Sapir also pointed out that Tel Aviv is one of Israel’s hi-tech hubs, has many good restaurants, cafes and bars, as well as a “beach which attracts people all year long.”
“People are friendly and warm, and willing to assist,” she said. “They are not strangers, like in many big cities. It has the positive side of big city with a lot of options and varieties, but also the advantages of a small, warm town.”
The Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality welcomes immigrants with an array of assistance to settle them into their new home and country. These include guidance for finding work, resume writing and encouraging entrepreneurship.
Additionally, immigrants are invited to attend lectures, concerts, performances and cultural tours, created just for them in cooperation with Israel’s Ministry of Immigrant Absorption, as a way to build camaraderie with other new immigrants and adjust to their new lives.
Over 1,900 olim participated in last year’s employment fair, organized by the Tel Aviv-Yafo Department for Immigration and Absorption, according to the municipality.
“Absorption and aliyah [immigration] is an important asset for Tel Aviv-Yafo,” the mayor of Tel Aviv-Yafo Ron Huldai said in a statement. “We feel honored that year after year, Tel Aviv is chosen as the number one aliyah destination and welcome the immigrants, who chose to make Tel Aviv their new home and contribute by making this city more interesting, diverse and cosmopolitan.”