Aliyah Numbers Up in 2009

from Haartez:

Immigration to Israel hits 16,244, highest jump in 10 years

For the first time in 10 years the number of immigrants to Israel has risen this year, according to Jewish Agency chairman Natan Sharansky and Immigration and Absorption Minister Sofa Landver.

In 2009, 16,244 people immigrated – a 17 percent jump over last year’s 13,859.

The number of immigrants from English-speaking countries has also increased by 17 percent this year, from 4,511 to 5,294… The largest number of new immigrants still comes from the former Soviet Union, where the numbers increased by 21 percent from 5,867 to 7,120.