More than 20,000 olim from 70 countries moved to Israel in 2020

The Jewish Agency for Israel estimates that they will have helped more than 20,000 olim (new immigrants) from 70 different countries to make aliyah (emigrate to Israel) by the end of the year, even though 2020 has been devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic. . This also involved additional assistance from the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration and the Ministry of the Interior. Making aliyah has proven to be a great challenge for Jewish families coming from all over the world, considering existing international travel and mobility limitations. Data tabulated by the Jewish Agency showed that from January to November of this year about 10,200 people arrived from countries of the former Soviet Union; approximately 3,120 from Western Europe (more than two-thirds of France, approximately 2,220, almost the same number as in 2019); about 2,850 from North America (approximately 2,550 from the United States, according to data from the Jewish Agency in coordination with Nefesh B’Nefesh); around 1,500 from Latin America; about 280 from South Africa; and nearly 90 from Australia and New Zealand. The total number of Ethiopia’s olim in 2020 is expected to be 1,200, of which 650 arrived in December. “Something wonderful happened to us: 20,000 Jews immigrated to the State of Israel during this pandemic year. 20,000 people who were ready to leave everything behind, in a challenging period of global upheaval, to build a new life in Israel,” said the president of the Jewish Agency, Isaac Herzog, in a meeting with children from around the world who immigrated to Israel during the pandemic.For the year it coincided with a sharp increase in people interested in moving to Israel. Since early 2020, the agency has received around 160,000 inquiries on immigration to Israel and has opened approximately 41,000 new aliyah application files, including 28,000 files from Western countries – which is double the number opened in 2019. There was also a 41% increase in files opened for young adults from 18 to 35 years from Western countries The Jewish Agency estimates that Israel can expect an influx of around 250,000 olim to Israel over the next 3 to 5 years, assuming the Israeli government implements a national plan for such a large wave of immigration and absorption. “These olim landed directly in two weeks of isolation in a new country, unknown to all. There is nothing more exciting than seeing these wonderful children who made aliyah during this difficult year. I hope that COVID-19 will end soon for them and their friends, that we will see the great wave of immigration that we are anticipating from around the world, and that all new olim have a smooth integration and are received with much love, ”added Herzog.

In accordance with Israel’s anti-pandemic regulations, the new immigrants went into quarantine immediately upon arrival, and thousands were housed in quarantine hotels established for this purpose.For those unfamiliar with the Jewish Agency, since 1929, has been working to secure a vibrant Jew. future. The organization has worked a lot in the diaspora, like having hundreds of Jewish agencies. shlichim (Israeli emissaries) continue to serve their host communities with a wide variety of virtual educational programs, as well as socially distant one-on-one gatherings and special projects to help tens of thousands of families and youth. , the agency has also instituted an emergency plan to instill hope in Jewish communities around the world, including immediate, interest-free loans totaling tens of millions of shekels to dozens of Jewish organizations that provide essential services. The loan fund was created in partnership with the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) and Keren Hayesod. The Jewish Agency has also been involved in the establishment of Global Round Tables, in partnership with the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs, which consists of leaders from 30 global and regional Jewish organizations, which are mapping the needs of Jewish communities. The agency also works in Israel. , helping vulnerable populations in Israel throughout the coronavirus crisis by caring for 7,000 elderly residents of Amigor’s senior housing, most of whom are Holocaust survivors and new immigrants, as well as daily assistance for the 6,000 new immigrants residing in absorption centers during the height of the pandemic, and a special aid campaign for lone immigrant soldiers in the IDF. They also support thousands of children and their parents in the social and geographic peripheries of Israel (a total of around 12,000 Israelis at risk) who participate in the Youth Futures program, whose staff help children develop confidence and skills in their academic activities, social and emotional lives. resilience with the widespread distribution of thousands of computer tablets to children in need, so that they can fully participate in distance learning.The Jewish Agency remains the first response of the Jewish world, prepared to address emergencies in Israel and to rescue Jews of countries where they are at risk.