Immigration to Israel rose slightly in 2013 to 19,200, but that included a significant drop in immigrants from the United States.
Last year Israel absorbed 18,940 new immigrants.
The most dramatic increase in aliyah came from France, with 3,120 immigrants, a 63 percent increase over the previous year. The Jewish Agency for Israel credited the rise to its own programs that introduce French young people to Israel.
Israel’s Ministry of Immigration and Absorption and the Jewish Agency are set to introduce programs next year to ease the immigration and absorption process and make it easier for Israelis residing in France to return to Israel, the Jewish Agency said in a statement.
Some 2,680 immigrants arrived in Israel from the United States in 2013, compared with 3,070 in 2012, a 13 percent decline. Canada sent 321 immigrants, compared to 319 last year. The countries of the former Soviet Union sent Israel 7,520 immigrants, compared to 7,629 last year. Some 1,240 immigrants came to Israel from Latin America in 2013, a 34 percent increase over last year’s 926.
The new immigrants to Israel were younger than in the past, with 60 percent under 35. The oldest immigrant was a 103-year-old man from the United States. The youngest was a 5-week-old American baby. — jta