The numbers of North Americans emigrating to Israel increased 28 percent in the first quarter of 1976, thus reversing a downward trend since the Yom Kippur War, according to figures released today by the Israel Aliya Center. “We don’t know exactly why there has been a turnabout,” said Yehiel Leket, North American director. “We just hope it continues because aliya (immigration) is one of Israel’s top priorities and the lifeblood of her future.”
He attributed the reversal partly to the fact that it is currently “easier to obtain information about aliya and receive assistance. Expanded evening hours; new lines of communication with Israel which offer us the opportunity to give up-to-date information on employment and housing, and a spirit of cooperation which cuts through much of the red top, we hope will contribute to a continuation of this upward swing.”
According to the statistics released by the Center, 418 people emigrated to Israel in the first quarter (January, February and March) of 1976 compared to 327 in the same period last year, and 340 in 1974. The number of Israeli returning to Israel with the aid of the Center was also significant in comparison: 64 in the first quarter of 1975 as compared with 395 in the same period this year. The Center processed a total of 732 people in the first quarter.
LARGEST PERCENTAGE FROM NEW YORK AREA
The first quarter totals included 177 families (495 people) and 237 individuals with approximately 60 percent of the emigrants under 44 years of age. The New York metropolitan area provided the largest percentage of people by geographical area, approximately 37 percent or 268 people.
“The professions of the first quarter emigrants,” Leket explained, “run the gamut from academicians to restaurant managers. Fifty-nine are teachers and 25 are engineers. Another significant group could be categorized as businessmen. They are all needed by Israel and welcome.”
Leket pointed out that the figures represent only those North Americans who emigrated with the help of Israel Aliya Centers in the United States and Canada. “They do not include those who made aliya without our assistance or who changed their visa status while in Israel.”
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
