The number of new immigrants to Israel rose about 16% in 2010 - the second year of rising figures, after ten years of decline.
The figures, based on data from the Jewish Agency and the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption, show the total number of new immigrants (olim) this year from around the world will have reached 19,130. The total number in 2009 was 16,465, and was 15,452 in 2008.
Around 7,700 new immigrants, making up 40% of the total number of olim this year, came from the 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 a jump of 19%; France: 2,040 as opposed to 1,894 last year (8% increase); Great Britain: 760 (down from 853 last year), and 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 former Soviet Union, there was an increase of 7% in the number of olim from this area from 2009, and an increase of 25% from 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.
Olim came to Israel this year 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); and India -- 48 compared to 30 last year (a 60% increase).
The country with the biggest increase in immigration numbers is Venezuela, with 150 new immigrants to Israel this year, as opposed to 38 in 2009 - 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).
Jerusalem is the leading city of absorption, with 2,397 new immigrants. The oldest new immigrant to Israel in the year 2010 was 99.
Chairman of the Jewish Agency Natan Sharansky said, “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."
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on December 30, 2010
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