After 23 years, emigration from Israel takes off

This week, for the first time since 1984, more people emigrated from Israel than immigrated into it. Since mid-1980s, Russian aliyah temporarily reversed the long-term trend where more people left Israel than came in. At least 500,000 and probably close to a million Jews emigrated from Israel, mostly due to insecurity, economic hardships and lack of job opportunities. Polls indicate 60 to 80% of Israelis sympathize with those who leave the country. Sohnut seeks to offset the trend by bringing to Israel non-Jewish immigrants and the people with a single Jewish grand-grandparent.