Ahead of Jewish New Year, Aliyah Hits Five-Year High: 24,800 New Immigrants
Arrived in Israel in the Jewish Year 5774
- Immigration up 28% compared to the previous year, representing a
five-year high
- For the first time ever, more immigrants have come from France—some 6,000
in total—than any other country
- Ukraine sees number of immigrants double to approximately 4,200

Today at Ben-Gurion Airport: Family who immigrated from embattled eastern
Ukraine reunited with daughter who immigrated a year ago

18-year-old Alexandrina Zheludev immigrated to Israel from Ukraine a year
ago with The Jewish Agency for Israel's SELA (Students Before Parents)
program. Today she was reunited with her family, who made Aliyah from the
city of Lugansk in embattled eastern Ukraine. Her mother, 39-year-old
Oksana, and her father, Viatscheslav, who celebrated his 41st birthday
today, immigrated with their 16-year-old son Artur. They had spent the past
few weeks in the cellar of their home due to the ongoing fighting and lost
contact with their daughter in Israel. She was deeply concerned about them
and they were concerned about her as they heard of this summer's hostilities
in Israel. Today they embraced upon seeing one another for the first time in
a year at a welcome event organized by The Jewish Agency and the Ministry of
Aliyah and Immigrant Absorption.

The final 140 immigrants of the year 5774 arrived in Israel today (Monday,
September 22) from Russia and Ukraine and were greeted at Ben-Gurion
International Airport by Minister of Aliyah and Immigrant Absorption Sofa
Landver and Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky

The Jewish Agency for Israel
Ministry of Aliyah and Immigrant Absorption
22 September 2014

JERUSALEM – Ahead of Rosh Hashanah—the Jewish New Year, set to take place
later this week—data compiled by The Jewish Agency for Israel and the
Ministry of Aliyah and Immigrant Absorption shows that some 24,800 new
immigrants have arrived in Israel in the Jewish year 5774. This represents a
significant 28% increase compared to the 19,350 immigrants who arrived in
Israel in 5773 and the highest number of the past five years (18,270 in
5772, 21,200 in 5771, and 17,780 in 5770).

The final 140 immigrants of the Jewish year arrived in Israel today
(September 22) from Russia and Ukraine and were greeted at Ben-Gurion
International Airport by Minister of Aliyah and Immigrant Absorption Sofa
Landver and Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky. The two delivered
remarks noting the increase in Aliyah over the past year.

Aliyah from France has more than doubled, from 2,650 in 5773 to
approximately 6,000 in 5774, marking the first time in history that more
immigrants have arrived in Israel from France than any other country. This
125% increase is due, in part, to new programs developed by The Jewish
Agency for Israel and the Ministry of Aliyah and Immigrant Absorption to
enable young French Jews to experience life in Israel as well as joint
efforts to ease the immigration and absorption process.

Another striking development this year is in the significant increase in
Aliyah from the former Soviet Union, due primarily to a twofold increase in
immigration from Ukraine. Some 4,200 new immigrants arrived in Israel from
across Ukraine thanks to Jewish Agency and Ministry of Aliyah and Immigrant
Absorption efforts, compared to 2,000 in 5773 – a 110% increase. Some 4,500
immigrants arrived from Russia, compared to 3,370 last year – a 22%
increase.

Minister of Aliyah and Immigrant Absorption Sofa Landver said: "During the
course of 5774, we received some 24,800 new immigrants, who joined the
family of the Israeli people. This is an incredible 28% increase in Aliyah
from around the world compared to last year and a five-year high. Aliyah is
the future of the State of Israel and is a national mission of the highest
order, and so my wish for the new Jewish year is that it will bring serenity
and growth and waves of Aliyah that we have never seen before. We at the
Ministry of Aliyah and Immigrant Absorption are ready and waiting for any
Jew who wishes to come home."

Chairman of the Executive of The Jewish Agency for Israel Natan Sharansky
said: "The increase in immigration from the four corners of the globe even
in a year in which our enemies tried to undermine our security and challenge
Israel's legitimacy demonstrates that Israel is a country that guarantees
both the personal safety of its citizens and the future of the Jewish
people. Every one of the tens of thousands of immigrants who arrived in
Israel this year brings an end to 2,000 years of wandering."

Also from Europe: Some 570 new immigrants arrived in Israel from the United
Kingdom and some 260 from Belgium, marking modest increases from the
previous year's numbers. Some 270 new immigrants arrived in Israel from
Italy – double last year's figures.

5774 saw a slight increase in Aliyah from North America with the arrival of
some 3,600 new immigrants, compared to 3,450 last year – approximately 3,170
came from the United States and some 400 from Canada.

Aliyah from South America increased 20%, from 930 in 5773 to approximately
1,100 this year. 300 immigrants came from Brazil (a 50% increase from the
200 who came in 5773), and 310 from Argentina (a 24% increase).

Some 230 immigrants came to Israel from Ethiopia in 5774 compared to 2,200
in 5773, which saw the conclusion of Operation Dove's Wings, the historic
effort to bring the remainder of those eligible to make Aliyah from Ethiopia
to Israel. The rate of Ethiopian Aliyah is determined by the Government of
Israel.

60% of the immigrants who arrived in Israel in 5774 were under the age of
35, and 37% were between the ages of 18 and 34. Thousands are young
professionals, including hundreds of doctors and other medical and
paramedical professionals who came to Israel on specialized tracks developed
by The Jewish Agency and the Ministry of Aliyah and Immigrant Absorption.
Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Netanya topped the list of cities receiving new
immigrants – more than 2,500 new Israelis came home to each of those cities
this year.

Note: Aliyah data for 5774 is based on estimates pending final figures