Israelis who emigrated to Canada, mainly to improve their economic condition, by and large have failed to prosper, according to a report on “yordim” living in Canada, published in the current issue of the World Zionist Organization’s quarterly magazine, “Batfutsot Hagola.” According to Adam Ackerman, author of the report, 64 percent of the nearly 22,000 Israelis who settled in Canada have required Canadian government assistance and 16 percent have gone on welfare.
The report states that by 1964, 12,000 Israelis had emigrated to Canada and were followed by another 7000 during the two succeeding years which saw an economic recession in Israel. Since 1967, another 2500 Israelis have gone to live in Canada. But of the total now living in Canada, only ten percent were born in Israel, Ackerman reported. He said 52 percent cited economic reasons for their emigration and 56 percent said they did not contemplate returning to Israel. But 34 percent said they would go back if the government offered them the same incentives it offers new immigrants, Ackerman said.
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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.
