Dignitaries, including Jewish Agency Chairman Isaac Herzog (center-right) and Aliyah and Integration Minister Pnina Tamano-Shata (center), welcome new Ethiopian immigrants at Ben Gurion Airport on March 11, 2021. Photo: Government Press Office/Jewish Agency.

i24 News – Aliyah (Jewish immigration to Israel) increased by 31% so far this year compared to last year, with 20,360 olim (new immigrants) landing at Ben Gurion Airport to make a new life in the Jewish state, data shows.

The Ministry of Aliyah and Integration and the Jewish Agency for Israel released the report on Sunday ahead of Yom HaAliyah, or Aliyah Day, on October 13 — a national holiday celebrating the contribution of Jewish immigration to Israeli society.

“Israel has continued seeing a dramatic rise in Aliyah despite the Covid-19 pandemic, with the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration and the Jewish Agency ensuring that immigration continues despite the difficulty and limitations on international travel,” the statement on the report said.

However, compared to the pre-Covid numbers of 2019, this year is on track for lower numbers. In 2019, there were some 33,500 olim who arrived in Israel.

According to the data, the largest source of Aliyah so far this year is from Russia (5,075), despite a 5% decrease from 2020. The second largest source is the United States (3,104), up 41% compared to the first nine months of 2020.

Immigration from France increased by 55%, with 2,819 French olim; 2,123 from Ukraine (4% increase); 780 from Belarus (69% increase); 633 from Argentina (46% increase); 490 from the United Kingdom (20% increase); 438 from Brazil (4% increase); and 373 from South Africa (56% increase).

A total of 1,589 immigrants arrived from Ethiopia compared to 285 olim the previous year, thanks to Operation Zur Israel — a government initiative that facilitates Ethiopian Aliyah.