ISRAEL HAYOM (by agreement with JNS)
Shifting gears, aliyah ministry to focus efforts on Western Jewry
Ariel Kahana
May 31, 2023

Israel is changing course and refocusing aliyah efforts from former Soviet Union countries to Western nations, such as France and the United States, Israel Hayom has learned. Aliyah and Integration Minister Ofir Sofer has recommended the redistribution of the budget, which will see funds meant to promote aliyah from the former Soviet bloc slashed almost in half, from 8 to 4.5 million dollars. The newly available funds will be directed to encourage aliyah first and foremost from France. A senior ministry official explained to Israel Hayom that there was simply no need to encourage aliyah from Eastern Europe, as the Ukraine war led to a mass migration to Israel. READ MORE