French immigration to Israel jumps 30%

140 French Jews arrive in Israel amid spike in Aliyah from France.

By World Israel News Staff

A group of 140 French Jews arrived in Israel on a special Aliyah flight Monday, as immigration from France continued to accelerate amid persistent concern over antisemitism and the future of the country’s Jewish community.

The flight, organized by Israel’s Ministry of Aliyah and Integration and the Jewish Agency in partnership with the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, carried dozens of young families, including 80 infants, children and teenagers. The children are expected to enter Israeli schools when the new academic year begins.

Aliyah and Integration Minister Ofir Sofer and Jewish Agency Executive Chairman Doron Almog accompanied the immigrants on the flight from France.

The passengers received their Israeli identification numbers while the plane was at an altitude of approximately 35,000 feet, formally becoming Israeli citizens before landing at Ben Gurion Airport.

Among the new arrivals were three sets of twins: four-month-old Mia and Ethel, five-month-old Noam and Nerly, and 11-year-old Noa and Avidan. The oldest passenger was Annie, an 85-year-old woman who moved to Israel to reunite with her children and fulfill what organizers described as a lifelong dream.

“It’s so moving to see young families choosing to make Aliyah to Israel, especially now,” Sofer said.

The minister said the government had introduced programs intended to make it easier for new immigrants to find housing, obtain recognition for professional qualifications and enter Israeli universities and the workforce.

The flight came as the pace of French Aliyah continued to rise. Approximately 2,400 immigrants arrived from France between the beginning of 2026 and the end of July, an increase of more than 30% over the corresponding period in 2025, according to the ministry and the Jewish Agency.

Annual immigration from France has increased steadily since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. The number of French immigrants rose from 1,097 in 2023 to 2,234 in 2024 and 3,357 in 2025. More than 7,000 French Jews have moved to Israel since October 7, according to figures released by the organizers.

Interest in immigration has risen even faster than the number of completed moves. About 20,000 French Jews have opened Aliyah files with the Jewish Agency since October 7, out of approximately 80,000 applicants worldwide.

Some 2,800 French Jews opened files during the first seven months of 2026, nearly 30% more than during the same period last year. Opening a file begins the immigration process but does not necessarily mean the applicant will ultimately move to Israel.

Monday’s arrival followed another special flight on July 7 that brought 128 French immigrants to Israel, including dozens of families and three sets of twins. The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem previously projected that between 2,000 and 3,000 French immigrants could arrive during the summer of 2026 alone.

French Aliyah has risen while antisemitic incidents in France remain at historically high levels. French authorities recorded 1,320 antisemitic acts in 2025. Although that represented a 16% decline from 2024, the total was roughly three times the number recorded in 2022 and accounted for more than half of all anti-religious incidents reported in France during the year.

The increase followed a sharp rise in attacks, threats and harassment targeting French Jews after October 7 and the outbreak of the Gaza war. French officials and Jewish community leaders have repeatedly warned that many Jews feel compelled to conceal their identities or reconsider their futures in the country.

The new immigrants were greeted at Ben Gurion Airport by relatives, Israeli officials, Jewish Agency representatives, supporters of the Christian embassy and members of Israeli youth movements carrying flags and playing music.

Almog called Aliyah a central source of Israel’s continued growth and said, “Every family that arrives strengthens the State of Israel.”

The Jewish Agency said it would help the families with their initial absorption and work to ensure that the newcomers were able to establish permanent lives in Israel.

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