Close to 30,000 Jews from around the world chose to make Israel their new home during 2018.
By: United with Israel Staff
Almost 30,000 Jews made Aliyah (immigrated) to Israel from around the world this year, compared with 28,220 new immigrants in 2017, a 5-percent increase year over year, according to the year-end data on Aliyah during 2018 published by the Jewish Agency for Israel on Sunday.
The country with the largest number of Olim (immigrants to Israel) in 2018 was Russia, with approximately more than 10,500 immigrants, representing a 45-percent increase from last year.
Also within the former Soviet Union, more than 6,500 people made Aliyah from Ukraine, a 9-percent decrease from 2017. Stability in the country has slowed down the flow of Olim to Israel.
A total of 3,550 individuals immigrated to Israel from the US and Canada, similar to last year’s figure, according to data coordinated with Nefesh B’Nefesh, which is entrusted with Aliyah from North America.
Some 2,660 made Aliyah from France, a 25-percent decline.
Elsewhere, more than 660 immigrants came from Brazil and over 330 arrived from the United Kingdom, both decreases of 4 percent.
However, the more than 330 new immigrants from Argentina in 2018 marked a 17-percent rise from last year, and the over 320 from South Africa represented a 2-percent increase.
The Jewish People: ‘A Wonderful Mosaic’
“I welcome this year’s increase in the number of immigrants to Israel,” said Jewish Agency Chairman Isaac Herzog. “Every Jew who comes to Israel and establishes a home here completes another piece of the wonderful mosaic of the Jewish people in their historic homeland.”
“After 70 years of the state’s independence and the tremendous number of Olim who have already made it to Israel, the potential for even greater Aliyah remains significant, and the Jewish Agency will continue to work to achieve that goal,” he vowed.
Some 3.5 million people have made Aliyah since 1948, making up 42 percent of the total population.
In 2018, over 70 years after the Holocaust, the world’s largest Jewish population lives in Israel. This figure represents 43 percent of world Jewry.
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