A mere 5 months after the last antisemitic terror-attack in Paris, a surge of 25% more French Jews moved to Israel, compared to the same period in 2014.
By Itamar Eichner
The number of French Jews who have made, or are making aliyah to Israel between January and August 2015, is 25% higher than that same period.
The scrolls with the French olim names – Photo:Zed Fillman
The number of immigrants from France rose from 4,000 in 2014 to 5,100 in same period in 2015. The numbers where submitted to Immigrant Absorption minister Ze’ev Elkin by the Heads of French Jewish organizations.
In the wake of the January massacre at a kosher market in Paris, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on Europe’s Jews to make aliyah to Israel. The Immigrant Absorption Ministry estimates that by the end of 2015 the number of immigrants from France will reach 9,000, compared to 7,200 in 2014.
In order to highlight the gravity of that number, the names were submitted to minister Elkin written on two long scrolls, prepared by Jewish Agency representatives in France. The representatives traditionally send the scrolls to the head of the Jewish community in France, and he in turn exhibits the scrolls at one of Paris’s synagogues.
The data was given to Minister Elkin in a meeting focusing on ways to expand the Aliyah of French Jews to Israel.
A meeting on the issue of French immigration – Photo: Zed Fillman
“According to the indications we have, we are preparing for a big wave of olim from France this summer,” Elkin said.
“In order for their absorption to be smoother, we need to listen to the new immigrants. That’s my belief. Even the most skilled and professional official doesn’t know better than the Oleh what he needs. I say this having been a new immigrant, and having dealt with the issue for years,” he said.
The minister asked to convene a special meeting on the issue of Ulpans (Hebrew schools), with new proposals on streamlining the process. He claimed that the matter of learning Hebrew suffers from a lack in budgeting however assured that government has made special decisions on the issue.
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