Jewish Agency: Israel to have 250,000 olim over next five years

The Jewish Agency says that it received some 90,000 calls in the first half of 2020 requesting information on aliyah, including a 31% increase in inquiries from western countries.

By JEREMY SHARON, GREER FAY CASHMAN
President Reuven Rivlin is seen visiting the Jewish Agency-run Ulpan Etzion in Jerusalem. (photo credit: MARK NEYMAN/GPO)
President Reuven Rivlin is seen visiting the Jewish Agency-run Ulpan Etzion in Jerusalem.
(photo credit: MARK NEYMAN/GPO)
The Jewish Agency estimates that Israel, will see an influx of a quarter of a million immigrants over the next five years, based on the dramatic increase in interest in aliyah witnessed in the months since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This estimate was presented to President Reuven Rivlin during a visit to Ulpan Etzion, a Hebrew-language school in Jerusalem run by the Jewish Agency, on Sunday.
Since the global health crisis began, the Jewish Agency and other organizations involved in aliyah have witnessed a massive spike in the number of people making contact to inquire about aliyah and in the number of people opening aliyah files.
The new assessment takes into account these new trends, as well as information received from Jewish Agency officials on the ground around the Jewish world, and bearing in mind that in 2019, a relatively normal year for aliyah, there were around 35,000 new immigrants.
Bearing that in mind, the Jewish Agency believes that 50,000 new immigrants over the next five years is a realistic figure.
Although the actual numbers of new immigrants has declined significantly in 2020 compared to previous years due to the wholesale cancellation of commercial flights, it is thought that the coronavirus crisis has generated new circumstances for many Jews living in the Diaspora who now see new opportunities to move to Israel which may not have existed before hand.
The Jewish Agency says that it received some 90,000 calls in the first half of 2020 requesting information on aliyah, including a 31 percent increase in inquiries from western countries.
In addition, some 25,000 aliyah files were opened in that time, with a rise of 91% in western countries and of 400% in North America.
Speaking to students at the ulpan, Rivlin noted that they had chosen to make aliya at a difficult time, but added that they would be able to overcome these difficulties.
Jewish Agency chairman Isaac Herzog noted that even during the greatest crises faced by the Jewish state aliyah never stopped, and expressed hope that talented Jews from around the world would continue to make aliyah even during the current pandemic.
“The waves of immigration to Israel over our history made significant contributions to the economy, culture and society of Israel,” said Herzog.
“The State of Israel must take the opportunity with both hands, to sit with the Jewish Agency and other organizations who deal with immigration and prepare a national plan for this welcome immigration and prevent a missed opportunity of historic proportions.”
Some 10,330 new immigrants came to Israel from January to July this year, compared to 19,943 in the same period in 2019.
Aliyah and Absorption Minister Pnina Tamano-Shata recently formulated a five-year plan for immigration, but its implementation depends on funding to be allocated under the pending state budget.
During Rivlin’s visit to Ulpan Etzion on Sunday, the president took the opportunity to meet some of those immigrants currently studying at the institution.
Each year, some 500 immigrants from different countries and with different professions pass through the program, so that they can be equipped with the language skills that will give them greater independence and help them to find work in Israel.
Rivlin was escorted on the visit by Herzog as well as Sam Grunwerg, world chairman of Keren Hayesod-United Israel Appeal.
The president met with immigrants from several countries. Among them were Noa Tumin, 26, from Moscow; Ari Sherovsky, a 32-year-old doctor from Argentina who is currently a resident at Ichilov Hospital; Roni Cohen, a 22-year-old artist from California who is part of Garin Tzabar, the IDF program for Lone Soldiers; and Eli Spektor, 21, from South Africa, who plans to enlist in the IDF in September.
Using the universal greeting of Shalom – Peace, Rivlin told the immigrant students:
“Even if you don’t all speak Hebrew yet, everyone knows that beautiful Hebrew word – Shalom! Moving from one country to another is not easy.” he acknowledged. “In many cases, it carries with it feelings of alienation and loneliness. And now, the virus brings the added challenge of isolation.”
Lauding the immigrants for opting to come to Israel at this time, Rivlin said: “You chose to make aliyah to Israel at this challenging time: the time of coronavirus. The challenges you are facing will become the stories you tell your children and grandchildren. Israel is not just another country to immigrate to. We ‘go up’ to Israel. Israel is the home of the Jewish people. You are not alone: You are home.”


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