JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Data from the Ministry of Absorption and Integration, released ahead of Holocaust Remembrance Day, reveal that despite their advanced age, Holocaust survivors continue to make Israel their home. About 120 of them have immigrated since the outbreak of the war on October 7.

The Ministry has published official figures regarding the scope of Holocaust survivors’ immigration to Israel in recent years. According to the report, since 2016, a total of 2,316 Holocaust survivors have immigrated to Israel. Even during the recent months of fighting, beginning on October 7, 2023, approximately 120 survivors chose to relocate their lives to Israel.

Over the past year, among those absorbed in Israel were two Holocaust survivors: one aged 96 who arrived from the United States, and another aged 88 who immigrated from France and now resides in Ashdod. According to the Ministry’s data, the peak year for survivor immigration in the past decade was 2022, during which 815 Holocaust survivors arrived in Israel. However, in recent years, there has been a noticeable decline in the number of immigrants from this group.

The countries of origin of these immigrants are diverse and include former Soviet Union states, the United States, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, Sweden, South Africa, Brazil, and Greece. As of today, 40,136 Holocaust survivors who immigrated as part of the waves of aliyah that began in 1989 are living in Israel.

Minister of Aliyah and Integration, Ofir Sofer, commented on the data, stating that the State of Israel continues to serve as a home for the dwindling generation of survivors. According to him, every survivor who chooses to immigrate to Israel is a testament to the revival of the Jewish people in their homeland. He added that the Ministry is committed to ensuring that survivors living in Israel enjoy dignified and secure living conditions, with ongoing support, in recognition of the moral and national obligation toward them.