Israel welcomes 15,000 from Europe since outbreak of war in Ukraine
Some two months after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the outbreak of hostilities in Europe, Israel’s Ministry of Immigration and Absorption welcomed about 8,800 Olim (new immigrants) from Ukraine, about 5,800 from Russia, and about 400 from Belarus, as part of the historic operation for emergency reception of refugees from Ukraine and its environs.
Jewish refugees from Ukraine arrive in Israel. (Gideon Markowitz TPS)
In addition, more than 10,000 people have registered for immigration, and the ministry is preparing to absorb them in the coming months. it updated Monday.
According to data from the Ministry of Immigration and Absorption, 24% of the new immigrants are children and adolescents aged 0-17, while 18% of the immigrants are adults aged 66 and over. About 22% of immigrants aged 18-35, 20% of immigrants are aged 36-50, and about 16% of immigrants aged 51-65.
Thanks to the housing plans approved by the government, many of the immigrants have already moved to permanent housing, and now less than 3,000 new immigrants are staying in hotels rented by the state.
As of mid-April, about 650 children were absorbed into educational institutions in 50 different authorities. Meanwhile, the Ministry is operating about 40 Hebrew language schools for adults.
Minister of Immigration and Absorption Pnina Temano Sheta stated Monday that “two months into the war in Ukraine, there is a great national effort in the absorption of immigrants, at the moment we have reached the absorption of more than fifteen thousand new immigrants and this is just the beginning.”
“Many of the new immigrants left behind their relatives and all their property, but the accumulated skill and knowledge of the Ministry of Immigration proved itself in times of emergency, and we are prepared and expect tens of thousands more new immigrants,” she added.
There are an estimated 200,000 Ukrainians who are eligible for Israeli citizenship through the Law of Return.
