Some 21,900 new im
However,
the hip bone's connected to the leg bone...
aliya (Hebrew for immigration to Israel) from the United States, La Belle France, the UK and other Western countries rose sharply, amid skyrocketing antisemitism affecting Jewish communities around the world, including high-profile deadly terror attacks against Jewish targets like the Yom Kippur attack on a Manchester synagogue and this month’s massacre at a Hanukkah event in Sydney, Australia.
Some 13,600 non-Russian im
As every year since the 1990s, the largest number of im
About 3,500 im
Some 420 immigrated from Canada, 220 from South Africa, and 180 from Australia, ministry data showed.
About a third of all new im
According to data provided by Nefesh B’Nefesh, an organization that facilitates immigration to Israel, overall North American immigration rose about 12% in 2025 to 4,150, one of the largest numbers in the organization’s 23-year history.
"These new Olim are already helping to address Israel’s national needs and strengthen its future, and we recognize the significance of their decision to establish their lives in the State of Israel at this pivotal moment in the country’s history," Nefesh B’Nefesh co-founder and executive director of Nefesh B’Nefesh Rabbi Yehoshua Fass said in a statement.
Despite the strong numbers, Israel still has a net migration deficit, with more people leaving the country than coming. In 2024, a whopping 82,700 Israelis left the country, about 50,000 more than immigrated to Israel, and that trend is expected to continue in 2025, demographers have noted.
The exodus has largely been driven by the war that erupted following the Hamas
..the well-beloved offspring of the Moslem Brotherhood,...massacre on October 7, 2023, and disillusionment with the government that has pushed a judicial overhaul policy that critics say undermines democracy in the country.
PREPARING FOR LARGER IMMIGRATION
With antisemitism a mounting concern for Jewish communities, the Immigration and Absorption Ministry has been working to improve the country’s ability to attract and absorb rising numbers of new arrivals. It even held a drill testing the country’s readiness for a massive wave of emergency immigration last month.
According to Jewish Agency data, about 30,000 Jews around the world opened files to start the immigration process in 2025, with large increases noted in the UK and Australia. The immigration process can typically take about 18 months from start to finish, immigration officials have noted.
More than 20,000 people around the world participated in immigration fairs organized by the Immigration and Absorption Ministry, the Jewish Agency, the Israeli Ofek Organization, and the World Zionist Organization throughout the year. More than 13,000 attended in La Belle France alone, alongside fairs in the US, Australia, UK, Ukraine, Georgia, Argentina
...a country located on the other side of the Deep South. It is covered with Pampers and inhabited by Grouchos, who dance the Tangle. They used to have some islands called the Malvinas located where the Falklands are now. They're not supposed to cry for Evita...
, Mexico and South Africa, where attendees received information and access to government offices.
Thousands more participated in immigration fairs held by Nefesh B’Nefesh in North America, the ministry noted.
"With the support of the prime minister, we are promoting a broad government decision to encourage immigration from countries where antisemitism is increasing," Immigration and Absorption Minister Ofir Sofer said in a statement. "This, along with many programs to integrate im
In recent months, the Immigration and Absorption Ministry has launched a number of new initiatives to promote successful immigration, including a new plan to work with Israeli companies to provide employment for im
Last month, it also unveiled a new 0 percent income tax rate for im
In February, the ministry announced a NIS 170 million ($46.4 million) program to improve integration, along with a reform designed to speed up the licensing process for new im
Other initiatives, including expanding tax exemptions for im
"In most countries, people leave during a war, but in Israel, people come to help," Sofer has frequently said as he touts strong immigration figures, even if the reality is somewhat more complicated.
Approximately 1,200 members of India’s Bnei Menashe community are expected to immigrate to Israel in 2026, the ministry noted.