Jewish Agency: Israel can absorb one million immigrants — Jerusalem Post

Israel has the capacity to absorb one million new immigrants provided the necessary resources are mobilized, Jewish Agency Chairman Major General (res.) Doron Almog said at a conference in Jerusalem. The Jerusalem Post reported this, citing Almog's speech at the annual event of the Israeli nonprofit organization Habayta.

The conference, titled “Absorb the Next Million,” was held at the Cinema City complex in Jerusalem. It was attended by government officials, representatives of the Jewish Agency, community leaders, and representatives of immigrant communities.

Gap with current figures

Almog had previously voiced the goal of bringing one million Jews to the country. In November 2023, he suggested that rising antisemitism could lead to the arrival of that number of immigrants in the coming years.

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At the same time, the current scale of immigration is significantly smaller. According to Israel's Ministry of Aliyah and Integration, just over 20,000 immigrants from more than 100 countries arrived in the country in the Jewish year 5786. The largest numbers came from Russia, France, and the United States. In a separate interview published last month, the ministry's director general, Dganit Sankar-Langa, estimated the expected number of newcomers in 2026 at 18,000–20,000 people.

Integration and community security

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called aliyah, the immigration of Jews to Israel, a driver of economic growth and said that the situation for Jewish communities abroad creates an opportunity for the arrival of hundreds of thousands of people. Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Minister Amichai Chikli called for preparations for emergency situations in countries with large Jewish communities.

Participants also discussed the adaptation of newcomers in schools, workplaces, and local communities. Chikli called the language barrier one of the key obstacles for immigrants. Habayta co-directors Netanel Rotenberg and Yosef Hoter stressed that successful integration requires not only state services but also sustained community support. According to the organization, its network covers more than 45 communities and provides assistance to about 100,000 immigrants in five languages.