Jews Continue to Return to Israel

Jewish immigration to Israel continues at a rapid pace. Fear of growing antisemitism in Europe and other places, combined with economic incentives, is driving the immigration from a human perspective, but from a biblical perspective it is a fulfillment of prophecy. For the second consecutive year, the largest group has come from France. A total of 7,238 French citizens immigrated to Israel in 2015 under the Law of Return (“France is Israel’s largest source of aliyah,” The Times of Israel, Dec. 22, 2015). This is 10% more than 2014, which was the highest number from France since the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. Some 19,000 French Jews have immigrated since 2012. Jews continue to return from Russia as well, numbering more than 11,000 in the last two years. Nearly 3,000 per year emigrate from the United States. “And he said unto me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, Our bones are dried, and our hope is lost: we are cut off! Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: Behold, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, O my people, and bring you into the land of Israel” (Ezekiel 37:11-12).

(Friday Church News Notes, January 1, 2016, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143)

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