An aliyah (immigration to Israel) information fair in central Paris on March 30. Photo: Alain Azria.

JNS.org – New figures released by the Jewish Agency for Israel on Monday show that French immigration to Israel has quadrupled in the first quarter of 2014.

According to the Jewish Agency, 1,407 people left France for Israel from January to March, up from 353 people during the same period in 2013.

“This phenomenon is speeding up,” said Ariel Kandel, head of the Jewish Agency’s French chapter, AFP reported.

Kandel said anti-Semitism and the tough economic situation in France are driving the increase in emigration.

Similarly, immigration to Israel from Ukraine, a country ravaged by political instability and fear of growing anti-Semitism, have risen nearly 142 percent in 2014 over 2013 numbers.