January 2008

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Director-General’s Report, January 2008

This report relates to all people arriving in Israel, including those already here who were changing their status, and Israelis who were processed by Aliyah Shlichim (such as returning minors, minors with Israeli citizenship, foreign-born citizens and returning residents)-henceforth "people arriving in Israel" unless otherwise stated. Israelis processed by Aliyah Shlichim were mainly from Western countries.

In January 2008, 1,417 people arrived in Israel under the auspices of the Jewish Agency, a 3% increase compared to the number that arrived during the same period last year. Among these 1,333 were immigrants (including those who willingly changed their status and those who have had citizenship conferred on them). The rest were Israelis who were processed by Aliyah Shlichim.

Immigrants from the Former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe

In January 2008, 347 immigrants arrived from the FSU (making up 24% of the total number of immigrants) a 24% decrease compared to the same period last year. The majority of immigrants coming from the Former Soviet Union are from Russia. 207 immigrants arrived from Russia (a 2% decrease compared to the same period last year). 63 immigrants arrived from Ukraine (about half the number as compared to the same period last year).
In January 2008, 6 immigrants arrived from Eastern Europe compared with 26 immigrants that arrived during the same period last year.

Aliyah from the West

In January 2008, 212 people arrived from Western Europe. Of these, 189 were immigrants and 23 were Israelis, about the same number as compared to the same period last year.
118 immigrants arrived from France, an 18% decrease compared to the same period last year.
64 immigrants and Israelis arrived in January 2008 from Great Britain, compared to 42 that arrived during the same period last year (a 52% increase).
216 immigrants and Israelis arrived in January 2008 from North America, more than double as compared to the same period last year (104).
146 immigrants and Israelis arrived from South America, a 25% decrease. The top two countries in South America with increases in immigration are Brazil (40) and Argentina (29).

Aliyah from Other Countries

418 immigrants arrived from Ethiopia in January 2008, about the same number as compared to the same period last year.

Immigrants in Israeli Absorption Centers

During January 2008 there were 10,972 immigrants living in initial absorption facilities.

4,568 were in absorption centers. 6% of them are participants in the Selah program, 10% are students, 6% are (other) youth, 17% are pre-aliyah registration, and 2% are participants of business programs. 2,291 of the immigrants in absorption centers (50%) are immigrants from Ethiopia.
An additional 6,351 immigrants from Ethiopia were living in additional absorption facilities run by the Jewish Agency for the specific purpose of absorbing the current wave of immigration from Ethiopia.

Charts

Immigrants and Israelis Handled by Aliyah Emissaries (PDF 57K*)

FSU Statistics (Excel 23K*)