The Jewish Agency for Israel today published its official year-end data on Aliyah during 2018. According to the figures, more than 29,600 people immigrated to Israel from around the world this year, compared with 28,220 new immigrants in 2017, a 5-percent increase year over year.

The country with the largest number of olim in 2018From Previous Year, 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.

A total of 3,550 individuals immigrated to Israel from North America (US and Canada), similar to last year’s figure, according to data coordinated with Nefesh B’Nefesh.

As many as 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. 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.

“I welcome this year’s increase in the number of immigrants to Israel,” said Jewish Agency Chairman of the Executive Yitzchak 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.”

The Jewish Agency emphasizes that the figures released comprise the official statistics on Aliyah during 2018 through the end of November as well as the temporary data through December, in addition to estimates of the expected arrival of more immigrants in the remaining days of December.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)