December 28, 2010 / 21 Tevet 5771

The year 2010 will end with a 16% increase in the number of new immigrants to Israel.

More than 19,000 olim chose to make their home in Israel.

There are significant increases in the numbers of olim from Latin America, Belgium, Australia and New Zealand, Switzerland and even India.

According to figures from the Jewish Agency and the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption, the year 2010 is expected to end with a 16% increase in the number of new immigrants. This is the second year in a row showing an increase in the number of new immigrants, following 10 years of declining numbers. By the end of December, the total number of olim this year from around the world will have reached 19,130. The total number in 2009 was 16,465 and in 2008 – 15,452.

Around 7,700 new immigrants, making up 40% of the total number of olim this year, came from the FSU (Former Soviet Union), eastern Europe and Germany, as opposed to 7,133 last year (an increase of 8%). From North America, the number stands at 3,980, as compared to 3,767 last year (a 6% rise). The number of olim from Latin America is to reach 1,470, compared to 1,200 last year – this is a significant rise of 19%; France: 2,040 as opposed to 1,894 last year (8% increase); Great Britain: 760 (down from 853 last year). From Ethiopia the number stands at 1,650, the rate of immigration from there being set by the government; the number last year stood at 240.

Despite the improving economic situation in the FSU, there was an increase of 7% in the number of olim from this area from 2009, and an increase of 25% from 2008. By the end of 2010 there will have been 7,300 new immigrants from the FSU as opposed to 6,820 last year and 5,880 in 2008. There will be more than 1,000 new immigrants from Moscow this year, the 7th year in a row there is such a level of aliyah from the Russian capital.

A clear rise this year is seen in the numbers of olim from: Australia and New Zealand – 260 as opposed to 175 last year (48% rise); Belgium – 250 compared to 152 last year (a 63% increase),; Switzerland: 120 as opposed to 94 last year (30% rise); Italy – 110 compared to 89 (25% increase); India -- 48 compared to 30 last year (a 60% increase).

The country where we can see the most significant increase in aliyah numbers is Venezuela: 150 new immigrants came this year as opposed to 38 in 2009. This is an increase of 280%. Increased aliyah is also seen from Argentina (380 this year, 313 last year), Mexico (180 this year as opposed to 140 last year) and Peru (140 this year compared to 105 in 2009).

New immigrants also came this year from: China (10), Monaco (4), Japan (3), Hong Kong (3), Honduras 93), Malawi (2) and Guadeloupe (2). Only one new immigrant came from the group of countries Malta, Singapore, Korea, Kenya and Rwanda.

Also emerging from the statistics of the Absorption Ministry and the Jewish Agency is that 52.3% of the new immigrants are male and 47.7% female. Jerusalem is the leading city of absorption, with 2,397 new immigrants. The most plentiful month in terms of aliyah was July, during which 2,293 new immigrants arrived.

The average age of the immigrants stands at 29.75. The age of the oldest new immigrant to Israel in the year 2010 is 99.

Minister of Immigrant Absorption MK Sofa Landver: “Successful aliyah and absorption have always been and always will be the core of the Zionist enterprise and a guarantee of the growth of the Jewish state. I am happy that the trend changed over the last two years and the number of olim is rising. This was made possible by the fruitful cooperation among all the groups that deal with aliyah and absorption – the Jewish Agency, “Nativ”, Ministry of Immigrant Absorption and others. Thanks to our joint efforts, we ran revolutionary projects, such as creating the link between the potential oleh and his/her Absorption Ministry coordinator while he/she is still abroad, providing new immigrants with their necessary documents, such as ID cards, as soon as they land, various aliyah promotion programs, etc. We will continue to do all that we can to make sure aliyah continues to rise and the absorption process is as best as it can be.”

Chairman of the Jewish Agency Natan Sharansky: “I am very pleased to see the statistics pointing to a rise in aliyah from almost everywhere in the world, particularly in light of the campaign of de-legitimizing Israel happening around the world. Many of the new immigrants are young people from free countries who feel that they belong to the State of Israel and chose to build their lives and the lives of their children here. The Jewish Agency will continue to develop programs for strengthening the connection between young Jews in the Diaspora and the State of Israel and for increasing the number of olim”. Sharansky noted the excellent cooperation between the Jewish Agency and the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption and other organizations in efforts to strengthen the connection between Jews abroad and the State of Israel, to boost aliyah numbers and to successfully integrate olim into Israel society.

On the cusp of the new year: Minister of Immigrant Absorption Sofa Landver and Chairman of the Jewish Agency Natan Sharansky will greet new citizens of Israel – new immigrants from Latin America -- and give them their ID cards. The event will take place at the "Aliyah on a Red Carpet" Absorption Fair that follows their arrival, Thursday December 30th at 2:30 pm at the Ramada Hotel in Jerusalem.

N.B. The data are not final; they are based on expected arrivals by the end of December.