More than 20,000 Jews from over 100 countries made aliyah to Israel during the past Hebrew year, according to new figures released by the Aliyah and Integration Ministry and the Jewish Agency ahead of Rosh Hashanah.

The numbers, covering September 23, 2025, through September 3, 2026, show that immigration continued despite Israel’s ongoing security challenges. While Russia remained the largest source of new immigrants, a notable increase was recorded among arrivals from several Western countries.

Russia led the figures with 5,685 new immigrants, followed by France with 4,364. The United States contributed 3,333 newcomers, while 975 arrived from Britain. Ukraine, Belarus, Canada, Australia and Argentina were also among the countries with significant numbers of immigrants.

The interest in aliyah extended beyond those who ultimately relocated. More than 28,000 Jews around the world opened aliyah files during the year, signaling continued consideration of moving to Israel.

Western countries experienced some of the sharpest increases in applications. Britain saw a 68% rise, while Australia recorded an 89.7% increase. France experienced a 31.5% increase, followed by the United States at 17.1%, South Africa at 14.3% and Canada at 10.7%.

Officials attributed the growing interest to a combination of factors, including Israel’s ongoing war, political developments in countries abroad and concerns surrounding rising antisemitism.

Young adults and families made up a substantial portion of the newcomers. Approximately 35% of immigrants were between the ages of 18 and 35, while another 24% were children or teenagers.

The new arrivals also included professionals and people from a wide range of backgrounds. Among them were 414 doctors, as well as two immigrants who were 102 years old. One of the youngest newcomers was a baby just two weeks old who arrived from Mexico.

Tel Aviv was the most popular destination for the new immigrants, welcoming 2,762 people. Netanya followed with 2,224, while Jerusalem received 2,134. Haifa and Ra’anana rounded out the top five, with 1,504 and 1,042 newcomers respectively.

Overall, approximately 31% of the new immigrants chose to settle in communities located north of Hadera or south of Ashdod, highlighting that aliyah is contributing to population growth across regions beyond Israel’s major urban centers.

The latest aliyah figures reflect a continued connection between Jewish communities around the world and Israel, even amid ongoing uncertainty. With thousands of new immigrants arriving and applications rising across several Western countries, the data points to growing interest in building a future in Israel. As the new Hebrew year begins, aliyah remains an important part of Israel’s changing population and Jewish communities worldwide.