Last year 3289 American and Canadian Jews immigrated to Israel, a three percent increase over 1978, it was announced here today by Dr. Aharon Kfir, director of the Israel Aliyah Center for North America. They augment an American Jewish community of more than 40,000 who have settled in Israel in previous years.
“We Israelis are very encouraged that our homeland has been enriched by the idealism and professional skills of these new olim,” said Kfir, “and we hope that on even greater number will make aliya in 1980, despite the tough economic realities facing the people of Israel.
“Worldwide, 1979 saw an enormous increase in aliya, 36,979 newcomers to Israel, a 42 percent rise above 1978. Our North American new olim comprise 9 percent of the total aliya,” Kfir rated.
“The majority of new American olim are young people and young families,” Kfir stated. “A statistical study we made shows that 57 percent of the immigrants are under 30 years old.” The hundreds of young families who made aliya included more than 600 children under the age of 12. The majority of them were observant or traditional Jewish families.
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.
