New York, NY (PRWEB) July 17, 2013 -- Eight hundred French Jews will make Aliyah to Israel this summer on special group flights chartered by The Jewish Agency for Israel. This Wednesday, July 17, The Jewish Agency will host a farewell ceremony in Paris’ Nazareth Synagogue. Eight hundred olim will be in attendance, in addition to Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky, Israel’s Ambassador to France Yossi Gal, President of the French Consistory Joël Mergui, and local Jewish communal leaders.
This year (2013) was marked by a sharp uptick in the number of French Jews seeking to immigrate to Israel and to participate in long-term educational programs there. The current number of French Jews seeking to make Aliyah is up 40% over last year’s numbers, and the number of young French Jews participating in educational and volunteer programs in Israel through Masa Israel Journey, a joint project of the Government of Israel and The Jewish Agency, is up 60% over last year’s figures.
The Jewish Agency estimates that by the end of 2013, approximately 2,500 French Jews will immigrate to Israel and over 1,000 youth will participate in long-term immersion programs in Israel. Further, many young adults who participate in Masa decide to make Israel their permanent home following their positive experiences in the Jewish State.
Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky shared, "For the last three years, The Jewish Agency has made a strategic investment to provide young French Jews with study abroad and internship opportunities in Israel through Masa Israel Journey. It is wonderful to see the fruits of our labors as large numbers of young French Masa participants retuning to Israel to live their permanently."
Joshua Berkman, Jewish Agency for Israel, 212-339-6068, [email protected]
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