The figures are very dramatic when it comes to Aliyah, emigration and immigration. Only the high birth rates in Judea and Samaria give cause for hope, but they cannot reverse the trend or even offset it. The negative trend can only be mitigated.
The current data and facts were recently presented and discussed in the Knesset (Immigration, Absorption and Diaspora Committee, headed by MK Oded Forer). The situation is bad. Very bad.
Unfortunately, we must once again identify a failure of the elected government and the deep state, which are mainly concerned with themselves and fighting against each other. Meanwhile, the citizens of the country are saying goodbye. Many embark on internal migration, many are leaving the country.
In 2024, 82,700 Israelis emigrated from the country and 32,281 new immigrants (olim) arrived here. 15% of new immigrants (olim) who arrived in Israel between 2019-2023 left Israel in 2024. In 2022, 50% of outgoing immigrants were new immigrants (olim). Among OECD countries, Israel is at the bottom in terms of attractiveness for attracting immigrants.
Committee Chairman MK Forer said: “The war is discouraging new immigrants (note: olim) from arriving – government ministries are piling up difficulties for immigration”
I am not sure whether the war is discouraging it – as an Oleh I doubt it. In my experience it is quite the opposite – but what is true is that the bureaucracies of the deep state are pilling up difficulties for new immigrants (olim).
And not only before and during the process of Aliyah. After Aliyah, things even get worse. For many unbearable. The silent message begins to spread. Quietly, from ear to ear, unstoppable: Israel loves the Aliyah but hates the Olim.
The ‘Knesset Research and Information Center’ informed that between 2009 and 2021, the number of people who chose to emigrate from the country averaged about 36,000 per year. Now the figure for 2024 almost tripled.
Since 2022, a surge in the number of people who chose to leave Israel has been observed. In 2022, 55,300 people left, a 46% increase over the previous year, and in 2024, 82,700 people left, a 50% increase over the previous year.
Finally, the devastating data from the Jewish Agency: Jewish Agency data indicates that 32,281 new immigrants (olim) arrived in Israel in 2024. This is a 31% decrease compared to 2023, when 447,013 immigrants arrived in Israel.
Israel – The most unattractive country to migrate
The final k.o. comes from the OECD. Dr. Ayala Eliyahu (The Knesset Research and Information Center): “Compared to previous years, about half of those leaving were new immigrants (olim) who came to Israel.” Dr. Nelly Kfir Oren (The Knesset Research and Information Center): “There are countries that are less developed than Israel but still manage to bring in more immigrants than Israel.“
A study by the OECD that examined the attractiveness of member countries for immigrants who are workers with advanced degrees and entrepreneurs revealed that the leading countries in the attractiveness ranking are the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Switzerland. Out of 35 countries, Israel is among the last places for both those with advanced degrees and entrepreneurs.
According to MK Oded Forer, the main obstacles are the deep state and its bureaucracies. However, Forer likes to speak of “governmental bureaucracies” due to very obvious political reasons. He wants just and only to blame the elected government.
But the fact is that first, the story is by far more complex and older than just the current government, and second the elected MKs and elected governments do not have much say in Israel (since Oslo).
The explanation of Forer is thus not utterly wrong but by far not the only and all-explaining factor. MK Forer said correctly but grossly underrating the problem: “Despite the investments and fairs to encourage immigration from Western countries, and despite the willingness to open cases, in absolute numbers – the number of immigrants from Western countries is lower than expected. In the State of Israel, government ministries are piling up difficulties for new immigrants, mainly in everything related to employment and recognition of their education and certificates from abroad.“
The other participants in this commission contributed little to the debate in terms of content, were unable to offer any new insights and confirmed the negative trend from their respective institutions.
They were more concerned with explaining that more money and a five-year plan were needed. They agreed that something had to change. However, they failed to provide any answers as to what should be changed.
Some non-exhaustive, non-systematic personal remarks
From my point of view, the following deficits can be identified, which have been spreading like wildfire, and not just since yesterday, but are now gaining more and more momentum. The war is hardly relevant here.
Many, especially from the West, are not making Aliyah as an escape from a difficult situation (such as Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, etc.), but out of religious and Zionist conviction and usually from an economically stable and well-established background.
Those highly motivated olim from the West are being offended and rejected by both the Israeli state and Israeli society, too. Many made the experience of being discriminated against in daily life by a left mob and other “secular”, or non-Jewish minorities due to their Zionistic and religious outlook. And they, the olim, are alone. There is hardly any effective help.
But this bitter truth starts to evolve after at least one year. In the beginning, the first year you are enthusiastic about Israel. And that is good, right, fully justified. You made the vision of Eretz Israel with your Aliyah one step more possible. As each Shabbat contributes to the Tikkun Olam, every Aliyah contributes to the Tikkun Olam.
Your language may get better. You are more confident. You approach a police officer and suddenly you quickly learn that they can only speak a slang-Ivrit which you as an oleh cannot understand, will never understand.
You are the outsider. You stay the outsider. The state rejected you. As mentioned above, the bureaucracy of the deep state finally takes care of the “rest”: the oleh experiences complete demoralization, devaluation, humiliation and demotivation. So, the observation of the Knesset Committee is correct.
I have never experienced such a hostile attitude towards ‘immigrants’ as in Israel. And an Oleh is not a simple migrant, but a Jew who is coming home. Theoretically.
Closed Olim bubbles with their networks are in consequence forming, no integration. Just as Israel is a society that consists of closed and mutually isolated bubbles and mosaic pieces, where there is hardly any integration allowed resp. possible. They see each other but ignore each other, at best.
A free labour market only exists in the lowest service sector (dishwashers and floor cleaners). State-centred and oligarchic structures characterize Israel’s economy. You have to be part of one of these deep networks to get a job and have to speak perfect Hebrew right from the start. And if you are aged, you are completely done and rejected.
Foreign language skills are mostly nonexistent and not required (except Russian and Arabic) and it is better not even to think about starting your own business. Last, but not least, there is the lawlessness, lack of security on the streets and the high costs of living, which eat up the last reserves.
Finally, many olim feel and see more similarities between old socialist cooperative states with Israel than with modern democracies. Free speech is under pressure. As oleh you think twice about uttering your opinion when you see that the Shin Bet simply is dragging away and arresting innocent Jewish citizens without giving reasons or showing evidence, for unlimited time without any possibility to call a lawyer and other basic human rights. Further, in the EU the average state has 14 ministries, in Israel, we have currently 34 ministries. And a finance minister who is happy to announce that he is now able to squeeze out more money from the citizens. Not excellent. That all and many more examples can be given, smacks after the authoritarian socialism of the former Soviet East European ‘bloc’. European Jews of the West and now free East recognize this quickly.
The big question is? What will be the State of Israel if it cannot provide anymore the Aliyah and no Jew wants to come home? What is his reason d’etat? A home with bad roads, devasting infrastructure, almost no medical services, an educational system on the brink of collapse, high taxes, no apartments, very high costs of living, insecurity in every respect and a very hostile, ignorant state and society which closes every door to integration?
The list is not complete, but in a deeper sense meaningless and irrelevant, if Israel’s society and state develop a real welcome culture for olim and open the doors for authentic integration.
In the meantime, olim must keep deer the vision of a welcoming and integrating Eretz Israel in their hearts and have strong trust in the imminent coming of Moshiach in order not to leave the land prematurely.
PS: All personal remarks said of course cum grano salis.
Based on the press release of the Knesset (3.02.2025). Quotes are taken from the press release. Pic AI-generated. Illustrative