Free Republic

Jerusalem - The Jewish Agency is bracing itself for the immigration of tens of thousands French Jews into Israel as a result of a growing anti-Semitism in France, a spokesperson for the organisation said on Sunday. Senior government officials including Immigration Absorption Minister Tzippi Livni, cabinet director Ilan Cohen and the president of the quasi-governmental Jewish Agency, Sallai Meridor, met last week "to work out how to come to the help of potential Jewish immigrants from France", Yaden Vatikai told AFP. Vatikai said that a report compiled by the agency had found 30 000 out of France's 575 000-strong Jewish...

Feb. 6, 2005 15:30 | Updated Feb. 6, 2005 16:01 Immigration to Israel drops 9.5% By HILARY LEILA KRIEGER Immigration to Israel dropped 9.5 percent in 2004, the Jewish Agency announced at a press conference on Wednesday. The main reason for the drop was a decrease in immigration from former Soviet Union (FSU) countries, from 12,000 in 2003 to some 10,000 in 2004. The Jewish Agency believes that the number of immigrants from FSU countries can increase in the coming years if Israel's negotiations with Germany to cut benefits to Russian Jews bear fruit. According to the German media, starting...