I hope I will join all those new olims soon ! Israel is the country of all the jews in the world !

The economic situation in the U.S. is not nearly as bad as the media would have you think. As such, a well-educated person (as most of these Olim probably are) is still making more in the US than in Israel. They are coming to Israel because it is their home, as I plan to do as soon as I finish college. Get over your pessimistic and cynical attitude, almost nobody comes to Israel from the west for economic reasons, they come because it is the country of their people!

Alan, I commented on your points about immigrating to Israel. 1) where we respect the laws here.---Whose laws Alan, and for how long? 2) dont have to worry about arabs killing us ---As Torontoians, we just worry about drive by shootings by Jamaican drug gangs. 3) can be proud to be gay jews rather than experience hatred from the jewish taliban --Well, that's your problem (being gay I mean) 4) dont have to deal with all that crazy Israeli beauracracy --you gotta point here. 5) dont have to deal with that horrible arrogant Israeli mentality. Be a little tougher, boy. Bravo to those new Olim.

article did not mention that some 70 Olim also arrived from South Africa on 31st December...welcome !!!

After reading all the negative talkbacks here, I am still very jealous of these olim. There is nothing I wouldn't give to be among them. I would love to join the IDF and fight for the people of Israel. But, alas, you call me goy and say I am not welcome. I would gladly change places with any of you who wish to leave Israel. You can go and join the gay guy in Canada and I will take your place fighting in Gaza. There are some things in life that is much more important than personal comfort.

When will they be joining the battle at the front lines then?

Despite our share of problems and vocal minority of self-haters in Israel like #1, I'm very optimistic of the future of the Jewish homeland. Why? We survived 2000 years of persecutions exile including the Shoa. In the last 60 years we have defied all logic and survived the onslaught of our numerically superior Arab enemies and their allies. During the same time we have become a military superpower, a thriving democracy and an advanced high-tech country with western standards of living. The standard of living in Israel is rapidly reaching the levels of the most prosperous countries in the world so it is time that diaspora Jewry updates their image of the Jewish homeland.

True, diaspora Jews don't have to serve in the army, but they also depend on non-Jews for their security. As Jewish individuals they are far less safe than the Jews of Israel. The once crucial financial diaspora aid constitutes today less than 1% of Israel's GDP and is in practice already irrelevant since fund-raising in Israel is far bigger. Besides, most Jews in the US or Europe are neither millionaires nor are they living the lives of Spielberg & Seinfeld as some Israelis and their diaspora friends think. 20% of New York's Jewish population lives below the poverty line. After having spent many years both in the US and Europe, I can safely say that Israel's standard of living compares favourably to our diaspora cousins. Whereas sevice levels in Israel are rising swiftly, they are clearly stagnating in Europe. My cousin who made aliyah last year and got a job at Teva, gladly exchanged his shabby and tiny London flat for a large and modern Israeli flat. Given the fact that Israel's GDP per capita growth continues to outpace the US and Europe, we will hopefully see Israel among the top 10 wealthiest countries in the world in 10-15 years.

Welcome home to the new olim. I posted pictures of them at: http://www.jr.co.il/pictures/israel/history/2009/a427.htm Have a good week, Jacob

I'm also , otherwise why should i have made Alyah in 2001 . But don't exagerate . Israel has made GREAT progress , but there is still a long way to go .

Ireland a country who enjoys peaceful borders and is technologically less advanced than Israel, managed to reform and upgrade its economy on a per capita basis from one of the poorest countries in the industrialized world to one of the richest. Israel has made GREAT progress despite constant existential threats and daily terror around its borders. Once these threats will be neutralized, only the sky will be Israel's limit. However I admit that it requires still a lot of work, economic reforms and a full integration of Israeli Haredim and Arabs in the modern Israeli society which has already started gradually. Already on a purchasing power per capita basis, Israel is on a similar level to Italy and France.

Jamaican drive by shootings ? What are you smoking? Being gay is not a "problem "for me. Is it for you ? So Mike, when are you going to make aliyah ? Or perhaps you are another armchair zionist ? Viva Israel !

All I can say to Celine's comment is ... AMEN! maybe i will meet you in Israel soon too.

who make me think that you are too optimistic . Otherwise , with our Jewish brains , we can achieve very much . Look only at what Jews have contributed to Humanity , more than any other people .

let's interview olim after one year (if they're still here that is), how have they fared, did they find a job? then do it again in another year, have they found a job? have they found work and how did they do that? these stories are meaningless as people come, then go. no anglo can get a job in israel so what's the point?

Hey Judah, like most people in your claimed situation, you forgot to tell us what you do for a living and how you got a job... i have yet to find a single anglo who was able to find a job in israel unless it's within a religious community or teaching english for a pittance.