JAFI expects record British aliyah

The Jewish Agency for Israel is predicting a record-breaking year for British aliyah. Oded Salamon, the JAFI head of immigration and absorption who visited the United Kingdom recently to encourage British immigration to Israel, predicts an increase of 20 percent over last year’s record-breaking total of 586 olim from Britain. Salamon said the Jewish Agency has identified Britain as a “strategic center” for Western immigration to Israel. On his U.K. tour, Salamon introduced the agency’s new three-year plan to ease the aliyah process, including identifying key needs for immigrants before they arrive in Israel, such as intensive Hebrew courses, contacts with potential employers and schools and help in finding housing.