North American immigration to Israel to hit 33-year high in 2007 - Haaretz

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		Immigrants from North America arriving in Israel. (Dan Keinan)

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Last update - 09:51 06/07/2007

North American immigration to Israel to hit 33-year high in 2007

By Amiram Barkat and Daphna Berman, Haaretz Correspondents

A 33-year high in immigration from North America is expected in 2007, with some 3,500 Americans and Canadians expected to move to Israel this year, according to a report released by Nefesh B'Nefesh on Thursday.

The organization, which helps new arrivals make their new home in Israel via monetary aid and other assistance, said that there has been an 80 percent rise in immigration from the U.S. and Canada since 2001, when Nefesh B'Nefesh began operating. This year's forecast represents a 10 percent jump from the 3,200 North Americans who immigrated last year.

Immigration from South Africa and Australia is also expected to increase this year, to 180 and 140 people, respectively, compared to 157 and 108 last year. But immigration from the United Kingdom, which last year marked a 20-year high with 740 new arrivals, is down again, with only about 600 projected this year.

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Nefesh B'Nefesh said it has assisted approximately 90 percent of the North American immigrants who have arrived since 2001. It also said that only one percent of those who received assistance from it have left the country so far, and that 94 percent have found work in Israel.

The greatest number of North Americans ever to come to Israel arrived between the 1967 Six Day War and the 1973 Yom Kippur War - approximately 6,000 per year. However, about one-third of these immigrants returned to their countries of origin due to difficulties encountered in Israel.

Nefesh B'Nefesh is funded by Jewish philanthropists in the U.S. and works in cooperation with the Jewish Agency. Since 2006, it has received Israeli government grants of $1,000 per immigrant, under a cabinet decision pushed through by then prime minister Ariel Sharon. The organization's annual budget is estimated at approximately $9 million.

In recent years, Nefesh B'Nefesh has expanded its activities to other English-speaking countries, despite opposition from the Jewish Agency. The latter argues that the success of Nefesh B'Nefesh stems from its selectiveness and its tendency mainly to assist young Orthodox immigrants, whose chances of making a go of life in Israel are very good. According to Jewish Agency figures, some 70 percent of North American immigrants arriving this year are under the age of 35, while nearly 40percent are under 18.

The summer's first group flight for new immigrants, sponsored by Nefesh B'Nefesh, is scheduled to arrive July 10.

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1.	Nice that Americans are moving to Israel	05:21	\|	Sherman	06/07/07

2.	Americans moving to Israel	06:04	\|	millie	06/07/07

3.	millie	06:33	\|	alan	06/07/07

4.	Sherman and Millie	07:44	\|	Danny Hershtal	06/07/07

5.	2001 you say?	08:16	\|	Eli	06/07/07

6.	3,500 out of 5,275,000 million?	08:27	\|	Joe	06/07/07

7.	the Holy Land	08:50	\|	the real thing	06/07/07

8.	Millie you say	09:39	\|	Mike	06/07/07

9.	social status?	09:46	\|	Leona	06/07/07

10.	Ask What Evangelist Want	09:55	\|	Francois	06/07/07

11.	Aliya figures	09:59	\|	sh	06/07/07

12.	The apocalyptic prophet of tidal waves	10:24	\|	sh	06/07/07

13.	Mexico	11:10	\|	EVH	06/07/07

14.	North America Immigration	11:21	\|	millie	06/07/07

15.	Bruhim haBa`im	11:39	\|	Margie in Tel Aviv	06/07/07

16.	Aliyah versus Yerida	11:43	\|	Hannah	06/07/07

17.	North Americans find welcome in Israel...	11:50	\|	Maureen Ann	06/07/07

18.	Our Children	11:52	\|	Ethan	06/07/07

19.	A western Jew who is happy in Israel	11:58	\|	Margie in Tel Aviv	06/07/07

20.	Its a lost cause anyway	12:32	\|	The End Is Nigh	06/07/07

21.	Israel	12:44	\|	Deana	06/07/07

22.	Joe!	12:56	\|	Deana	06/07/07

23.	Wow!!!	13:19	\|	Axel	06/07/07

24.	The end is nigh	13:29	\|	Watcher	06/07/07

25.	#2 I would like to hear more reality talks	14:48	\|	John Allen	06/07/07

26.	Deana	14:55	\|	Margie in Tel Aviv	06/07/07

27.	#14 Millie, bullies	15:07	\|	John Allen	06/07/07

28.	#17, Maureen Ann	15:09	\|	Hannah	06/07/07

29.	#19 what`s in their hearts	15:16	\|	John Allen	06/07/07

30.	#15, Margie	15:18	\|	Hannah	06/07/07

31.	Israel should be for Jews only, then watch	15:22	\|	John Allen	06/07/07

32.	watching24: suicide bombing	15:25	\|	The End Is Nigh	06/07/07

33.	good things	05:15	\|	k	07/07/07

34.	Misuse of US tax money	07:26	\|	Uncle Stein	09/10/07

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