Israel welcomes 19,200 immigrants in 2013
JERUSALEM (JTA) – Some 19,200 new immigrants arrived in Israel in 2013, slightly more than the previous year, but there was a significant drop in olim from the United States.
The number of new immigrants in 2013 was a modest increase from the 18, 940 who arrived in 2012, the Jewish Agency for Israel said in a statement.
The year 2013 saw a 7 percent increase in aliyah from most countries, with the exception of Ethiopia, whose numbers are set by the Israeli government. This past year marked the conclusion of Operation Dove’s Wings, which brought the remainder of those in Ethiopia who have been deemed eligible to immigrate to Israel.
The most dramatic increase in aliyah numbers was from France, with 3,120 immigrants, a 63 percent increase over the previous year. The Jewish Agency credited its programs to introduce French young people to Israel with much of the increase. The statement said that the Ministry of Immigration and Absorption and The Jewish Agency are set to introduce in the coming year new programs to ease the immigration and absorption process and make it easier for Israelis residing in France to return to Israel.
Read more: http://www.jta.org/2013/12/29/news-opinion/israel-middle-east/israel-welcomes-19200-immigrants-in-2013#ixzz2ouQX8Daw
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