New land of milk and honey?
Photo: AP
Report: 350,000 Israelis live in NY
Living the American dream: New report by Israeli consulate in New York reveals up to 400,000 Israelis live in Metropolitan area, only 365 returned to Israel in 2005. Number of Israelis in U.S. estimated at 800,000
NEW YORK - About 350,000 Israeli nationals were living in the New York Metropolitan area in December 2005, a new report compiled by the Israeli consulate in Manhattan reveals.
The report, sent to the Foreign and Absorption Ministries in Israel, estimates there are several additional tens of thousands of Israelis in the NY, New Jersey and Connecticut vicinity that have not yet approached the consulate for services, and that were consequently not registered there.
All and all, consulate personnel believe that some 400,000 Israeli citizens live in the NY Metropolitan area, Israel's leading newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported Sunday.
The consulate's assessment is based on the number of files opened at its offices for Israelis who immigrated to the United States that stands at 70,000. According to consulate records, there is an average of five members per family, making the total number of Israelis approximately 350,000.
The recent report confirms earlier assessments according to which there were 800,000 Israelis residing in the U.S., mainly in NY, California (about 200,000) and Florida (about 100,000).
Bringing Israelis home
Israel's Consul in NY Arieh Mekel told Yedioth a mere 600 Israelis arrived at the consulate's offices during 2005 in a bid to explore the opportunity of returning to Israel, and only 365 actually made the step and moved back to the country. Mekel stressed the figure only refers to Israelis assisted by the consulate in the process of returning home.
Notably, the decline in immigration to Israel in recent years has influenced Israeli missions abroad to revive efforts to bring Israeli nationals back to their native land. These efforts include organized meetings between Israeli officials and Israelis overseas, real estate fairs and projects to introduce Israelis with the financial rights they are guaranteed if they return.
"We have significantly boosted our efforts to return Israelis home," Mekel explained.
