Haredim
Photo: AFP
Third of all Israelis to be Haredi in 50 years
On the eve of the new year, Israeli population reaches 8,630,000 according to fresh statistics; current trends show decrease in number of Olim over past year, especially from France, and an expected population by 2065 of 25 million.
Israel is set to enter the new year with a population of 8,630,000, according to statistics published by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) on Thursday afternoon.
A number of surprising conclusions can be drawn from the data, not least that in 50 years, a third of the total Israeli population is forecast to be Haredi. Moreover, if trends continue, by the year 2065, Israel can expect to a population of 25 million people.
The last year saw an additional 167,000 people joining the Israeli population by its conclusion, constituting a 2% increase—a percentage relatively consistent with the annual growth throughout the last decade.
Natural births account for 83% of the increase, despite the fact that there were fewer births than there were deaths, while the remaining 17% consists of new immigrants. The total number of people immigrating to Israel was larger than the number emigrating.
Over the course of the last year a total of 181,000 babies were born while 24,000 Jews made aliyah and 12,000 more moved to Israel for other reasons. The year was also hit with 43,000 deaths, and around 7,000 were registered as residing abroad for more than a year.
One of the most surprising changes relates to the trends of aliyah and the origins of those embarking on the voyage.
Photo: Avi Roccah
According to the stats, twenty-seven percent of Olim came from Russia in 2016 while 22% came from neighboring Ukraine, 18% from France and 10% from the US.
The majority of the Olim, around 18,500 people, came from Europe (77%), from the Americas (17%), Asia (4%) and approximately 500 from Africa (2%).
The figures presented by the CBS do not however, correspond with those compiled by the Jewish Agency (JA).
Olim land in Israel (Photo: Shaul Golan)
According to incomplete figures by the Jewish Agency and the Ministry of Absorption, in 2016 27,000 Olim headed to Israel, marking a relatively steep drop from 31,000 last year.
The data also records an increase in the number of Olim hailing from Russia, and a decrease in those moving from France and Ukraine.
While the final figures of the Jewish Agency and the Ministry of Absorption are scheduled to be published in January 2017, the stats which have been collated thus far illustrate that 7,000 Russians arrived in Israel this year—up from 6,000 in 2015—while Israel absorbed 5,500 Ukrainians this year as opposed to 7,221 in 2015.
France showed the most conspicuous decrease, with Israel’s borders witnessing the flow of a mere 5,000 Olim in 2016 compared to 7,900 the preceding year.
Indeed, after leading in the aliyah figures for three consecutive years, France has now dropped down to third place.
The US also recorded a minor drop in numbers of Olim, with only 2,900 packing their bags for Israel rather than the 3,070 in 2015.
