The massive waves of immigration from the former Soviet Union and Ethiopia have corrected a problem that has been of serious concern to Israel since the founding of the state.
For the first time since 1948, the Jewish population of Galilee exceeds the Arab population in the northern third of the country.
The latest figures were made public by Ophir Paz, deputy director general of the Jewish Agency’s Immigration and Absorption Department, in ceremonies last week in the Galilee township of Ma’aleh Tarshicha.
According to the Jewish Agency, the Jewish population in Galilee as of December 1991 was 412,000, compared to an Arab population in the region of 408,000. That represents a Jewish majority of just over 50 percent.
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.
