Emigration from the UK to Israel has shown a steep rise over the past 12 months, according to new figures released by the Jewish Agency and Israel’s Ministry of Aliyah and Integration.
Over the course of the last Jewish year, 5786 (covering September 2024 to August 2025), 975 people made aliyah from the UK, compared with 737 in the previous year, 5785 – a jump of close to a third.
Meanwhile, the number of people opening aliyah files in the UK rocketed last year – up 68 per cent from 1,348 in 5785 to 2,264 in 5786.
UK aliyah has risen for a third successive year – in 5784 (23/4) it was 568 and the year before that (22/3), 419.
Published aliyah figures can vary depending on the source – for example, whether or not they include those who have been studying in Israel and then converted to immigrant status there.
But the trend is clear. The London-based Institute for Jewish Policy Research reported that the 742 UK aliyah figure for the calendar year 2025 – based on data from Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics – was the highest in 40 years. The UK annual average over the past couple of decades has been around 550.
According to the Agency and the Ministry, 20,000 new olim from across the world made their home in Israel during 5786, with 35 per cent aged 35 or under, and 53 per cent aged 50 or below.
The 68 per cent increase for new aliyah files from the UK was the second highest of any country with only Australia ahead, where the figure was up by nearly 90 per cent (from 311 to 590), compared with 31 per cent for France and 17 per cent from the USA.
In 5786, 5,685 of the olim came from Russia, 4,386 from France and 3,333 from the USA.
Ofir Sofeh, Israel’s minister of aliyah and integration, said, “A significant increase has been recorded in aliyah from France and the United Kingdom, alongside the war in Israel, political developments around the world, and rising antisemitism.
“The trend of aliyah from Western countries is expected to continue and strengthen, and this is a national opportunity that the State of Israel cannot afford to miss.”
He added, “The fact that more than a third of this year’s olim are young people aged 18-35, alongside many families seeking to build a future for their children in Israel, attests to the trust placed in the State of Israel.”
Jewish Agency chairman Doron Almog noted, “Even in a complex and challenging year, thousands of Jews from every corner of the world have chosen to take the big step and call Israel home. This is the essence of Zionism. Aliyah is the strongest answer to every challenge we face; it is a growth engine that contributes to strengthening the State of Israel.”
32Photo 2: Jewish Agency Chairman Maj. Gen. (Res.) Doron Almog (left) and Minister of Aliyah and Integration Ofir Sofer welcoming immigrants from France at Ben Gurion Airport shortly after the outbreak of the Swords of Iron War. Photo credit: Guy Yechieli for The Jewish Agency.
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