According to the data, over two-thirds (67.7 percent) of the new immigrants who arrived in Israel in 2018 came from the former Soviet Union, primarily Russia and Ukraine. Another nine percent came from the United States, and 8.7 percent were from France.
JERUSALEM—Aliyah, or immigration to Israel, from France dropped by 23% in 2018 while immigration from Russia witnessed a spike by 47% that represented the majority of the overall increase of 6% in aliyah compared to 2017.
In 2014 and 2015 aliyah from France rose due to antisemitism and terrorist attacks. It peaked in 2015, when 6,628 new immigrants from France moved to Israel.
Last December, Israel’s Diaspora Affairs Minister Naftali Bennett presented a plan to bring 200,000 French Jews to Israel but implementation of the plan has stalled due to the elections.
According to Israel’s Central Bureau of statistics, 28,099 new immigrants arrived in Israel in 2018;
According to the data, over two-thirds (67.7 percent) of the new immigrants who arrived in Israel in 2018 came from the former Soviet Union, primarily Russia and Ukraine. Another nine percent came from the United States, and 8.7 percent were from France.
The number of new immigrants from Russia in 2018 stood at 10,460, a jump compared to the 7,135 who arrived from Russia the year before.
Despite rising anti-Semitism throughout Europe, immigration from France was down, with 2,415 French immigrants arriving in 2018, 23.5 percent fewer than in 2017.
The number of new immigrants from Asia in 2018 stood at 1,429, an increase of 12.3 percent over 2017. A total of 365 new immigrants arrived in Israel from Africa in 2018, 14.1 percent fewer than in 2017.
Most of the new immigrants who arrived in 2018 opted to settle in larger cities. According to the CBS data, 11.1 percent settled in Tel Aviv; 9.5 percent in Jerusalem; 8.5 percent in Netanya and 7.9 percent in Haifa. Another five percent moved to Bat Yam, located just south of Tel Aviv-Jaffa, and five percent made their homes in Ashdod.
Tel Aviv was the top pick for immigrants from Russia and France, while Jerusalem was preferred by olim from the United States.
Since 1948, some 3.3 million new immigrants have moved to Israel, including 115,500 from France.Of those 47.3 percent have arrived since 1990.
Aliyah from Britain – which rose more than 5% last year- may increase if Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn, who has been accused of antisemitism and is known to be anti-Israel, becomes Prime Minister.