Israel Sees a Surge in Immigration

The World Zionist Organization reports a surge in immigration to Israel despite the war with Hamas, Hezbollah and other terrorist groups. More than 29,000 new immigrants have arrived in Israel since the October 7th massacre by Hamas.

This surge seems to result from a major increase in antisemitism around the world. There has been a 355 percent increase in immigration from France, up to 5,500 applications from 1,200 the previous year. From the United States, there was a 62 percent increase and from Canada it was 87 percent.

The latest example of problems in France was a bomb attack outside a synagogue in the town of La Grande-Motte on Saturday 24th August, which injured a policeman. Two vehicles caught fire but, thankfully, worshippers had not arrived for Sabbath services when the bomb went off. The suspect was later apprehended after opening fire on police officers.

In Canada, Israeli Consul-General Paul Hirschson says antisemitism swept over parts of the country following the October 7th massacre. Between October 7th and November 14th 2023, Montreal police recorded 63 hate crimes against the Jewish community and 41 hate incidents, including the firebombing of a Jewish community centre and synagogue in Dollard-des-Ormeaux and a shooting attack on the Yeshiva Gedola elementary school.

And earlier this month we reported on the Community Security Trust’s statistics which revealed the number of cases of antisemitism in the UK during the first 6 months of 2024 was more than double the same period in 2023, reaching a record high.

It is this increase that is prompting the surge in immigration to Israel, even in a time of war. Jews now feel safer there than they do in many Western countries.

This report by Ebenezer Operation Exodus comes from the former Jewish Quarter in Amsterdam.