Foreword

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingForeword/postscript

Abstract

Immigration to Israel is often considered among cases of return ethnic migration, namely of people mostly identified with a given ethno-religious group who move to a place perceived as their natural homeland (or core country). In this study I re-examine the variable size, countries of origin and main determinants of the Jewish component of immigration to Israel (figuratively called in Hebrew aliya, ascent) over the period 1991-2019. This study examines migration to Israel from 16 countries including all the main communities of the Jewish diaspora, and the source of over two thirds of total immigration to Israel during those years. The standard assumption is that immigration to Israel is explained by ideational ethno-religious factors related to Israel's ideological- cultural pull, and by periodical changes in the strength of pull or repel factors in Israel itself. As against this model, 1 evaluate the extent to which possible socioeconomic and political push and hold factors in the countries of origin can provide an independent and plausible explanation of immigration frequency and variation. Determinants of migration examined include human development levels in the countries of origin, annual levels and changes in unemployment rates, and observed levels of antisemitism. Country migration frequencies to Israel are evaluated in relation to Jewish population sizes in the respective countries. I test in particular the relative strength of unemployment in each country of origin and in Israel as an explanatory factor of migration. Unemployment abroad explains over 70% of the variance in a measure of yearly migration rates to Israel; unemployment in Israel explains nearly 70% of the variance in yearly emigration rates from Israel. A very efficient measure of aliya as a dependent variable was found to be the ratio between the highest and the lowest annual rate of migration to Israel. Along with the significance of the general frequency of aliya, a salient feature is its more or less irregular spread over the years. High average rates of immigration to Israel primarily reflect sudden and relatively short-lived waves of migration expressing the extreme stress suffered by the Jewish population in a given country at a given point in time. Findings of such import help evaluating Israel's immigration history in comparative perspective, may help in forecasting the future of Israel migrations, and carry significant implications for a broader assessment of the respective roles of ideological and instrumental determinants of ethnic migrations.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationDiaspora vs. homeland
Subtitle of host publicationDevelopment, unemployment and ethnic migration to Israel, 1991-2019
Place of PublicationJerusalem
PublisherDivision of Jewish Demography and Statistics, the Institute of Contemporary Jewry, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
ISBN (Print)9659005458, 9789659005451
StatePublished - 2020

Publication series

NameJewish population studies
PublisherDivision of Jewish Demography and Statistics, the Institute of Contemporary Jewry, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Volume31
ISSN (Print)0333-7855

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