Some 29,500 new immigrants have come to Israel since last Rosh Hashanah, a 13 percent increase over the previous Jewish year.
Most (about 14,100) came from countries in the former Soviet Union and from Europe (more than 9,000). Approximately 3,600 immigrants arrived from North America and 1,200 from South America, the Jewish Agency for Israel and the Ministry of Aliyah and Immigrant Absorption announced on Sept. 9.
The two largest sources of aliyah were France, with 7,350 immigrants compared with 6,700 the previous year (a 10 percent increase), and Ukraine, with 6,900 immigrants compared with 4,600 the previous year (a 50 percent increase). There was a 23 percent increase in aliyah from Russia, with 5,900 immigrants.
Immigrants to Israel came from 97 countries across the world, including one immigrant each from Andorra, Angola, Namibia, Paraguay, the Philippines and Slovakia. About 70 percent of the new arrivals are younger than 44, including some 7,800 who are 19 or younger.
Some 3,500 new immigrants settled in Tel Aviv, 3,400 in Netanya and 3,000 in Jerusalem. — jta