Record number of French immigrants expected in summer

Last year saw more arrivals from France in more than a decade; some 2,000 olim expected in next few months

A record number of immigrants from France are expected to arrive in Israel over the summer months, according to assessments by the Jewish Agency and the umbrella organization of French Jews in Israel.

Based on the Jewish Agency’s predictions, over the summer months of 2016 alone, some 2000 French Jews are expected to arrive in Israel.

In 2015, more than 8,000 Jews immigrated from France, the largest number since 2002

Israeli-French philanthropist Marc Eisenberg told Channel 10 late Thursday evening that as many as 50,000 Jews may arrive from France in the coming years.

“There is a historic opportunity to absorb 50,000 Jews from France and the government must do everything to enable for these people a good and efficient immigration process,” Eisenberg said.

He was speaking at an event for French immigrants in Jerusalem’s Sacher Park. Thousands of immigrants attended the gathering. Education Minister Naftali Bennett spoke to the recently arrived French Israelis.

Referring to the terror attack earlier Thursday, in which Hallel Yaffa Ariel was stabbed to death in her home, Bennett said: “The answer to terrorism is more immigration, more children and more construction in Israel. As long as France grapples with anti-Semitism, Israel is your real home.”