Israel Welcomes 140 New Immigrants from France in Special Flight

A group of 140 new immigrants from France arrived in Israel today on the "Families Flight," organized by the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration and the Jewish Agency, in cooperation with the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem. The immigrants were accompanied by Minister of Aliyah and Integration Ofir Sofer and Jewish Agency Chairman Doron Almog. Among the arrivals were dozens of young families, including 80 infants, children, and teenagers who will join the Israeli education system in the upcoming school year. Since October 7, over 8,000 new immigrants from France have arrived in Israel, reflecting a continuing trend of French Jews choosing to build their futures in Israel.

A symbolic moment occurred mid-flight when each immigrant received their immigrant certificate and Israeli ID number, officially becoming new citizens before landing. One immigrant was so moved that upon arrival, he kissed the ground. The group included three sets of twins and the oldest immigrant, Annie, aged 85, who fulfilled her dream of reuniting with her children in Israel. Data from the Ministry and Jewish Agency show that in 2026, the trend continues with approximately 2,400 French immigrants expected by the end of July, a 30% increase compared to last year.

Since October 7, 2023, interest in aliyah from France has surged significantly. In 2023, 1,097 French immigrants arrived; in 2024, the number doubled to 2,234; and in 2025, it rose to 3,357. This growing interest is also reflected in aliyah application filings, with about 80,000 Jews worldwide opening files at the Jewish Agency's Global Aliyah Center since October 2023, including 20,000 from France, of whom 2,800 opened files in 2026 alone.

Upon landing at Ben Gurion Airport, the immigrants were welcomed with a festive ceremony attended by family members, ministry and agency representatives, donors from the International Christian Embassy, and youth movement members waving Israeli flags. Minister Sofer expressed pride in young families choosing to immigrate now, highlighting recent reforms to ease integration, including student programs, professional licensing, and housing solutions. Almog emphasized aliyah as Israel's growth engine and the importance of supporting new immigrants from the start. Dr. Jürgen Bühler, president of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, called the rise in aliyah from France encouraging amid ongoing regional threats and praised the immigrants' contributions to Israel's economic and cultural life.