Over 200 Americans move TO Israel since Hamas barbaric attack launched a war and wave of antisemitism
More than 200 Americans have moved to Israel since the barbaric Hamas attack on Israel on October 7th.
Aaron Gold, 26, was visiting friends in Israel when the war began. Returning to his home in Philadelphia, he felt a strong desire to return to the Holy Land, despite the ongoing war.
“Hezbollah can attack now, they can attack in six months, they can attack in six years,” he said. Times of Israel. “You can’t plan it.”
Gold, a product manager at Deloitte, packed his bags and left the city of brotherly love, heading to Israel. He said that “making aliyah” (moving to the Land of Israel, which is one of the core principles of Zionism) had always been a dream.
On November 16 it became official.
According to Israeli officials, Gold is one of 218 Americans as of Dec. 24 who are among the 2,662 people who have moved to Israel since the Oct. 7 attack, in which a Palestinian violent extremist group killed more than 1,200 people and 240 hostages.
Aaron Gold, 26, pictured with his mother at the airport. Gold was among 218 Americans who left the United States for Israel after the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7.
Protesters gather in New York City on December 18 for a march by pro-Palestinian activists as part of the Global Strike on Gaza to demand a ceasefire.
Groups gather with Israeli flags and smile as they return to their homeland.
The largest number is in Russia – 1635; This is followed by the USA (218), Ukraine (128), 116 people from France and 106 people from Belarus.
The ministry said these figures are lower than the average for recent years. According to the news agency, 16,400 new immigrants arrived in Israel during the same period last year, mainly due to the war in Ukraine, as well as political divisions in Israel that have already led to a decline in immigration above normal levels.
Yona and Mikhail Benishou had planned to move to Israel from their native France as soon as their eldest son entered university, but after October 7 they accelerated their immigration plans.
Yona told the news outlet that the events of October 7 were “the straw that broke the camel’s back” and they arrived in their new country on October 31.
The term used for new arrivals is called “olim”.
People gather at the airport, holding welcome signs and Israeli flags for new arrivals.
Another young man is leaving his country to start a new life in Israel after the October 7 terrorist attack.
She shared one disturbing event that happened in their home town of Marseille before they left, when a group of rugby fans spat on them as they walked down the street.
Before the anti-Semitic attack, family members wore items indicating that they were Jewish.
She told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency: “I was in complete shock and didn’t know how to react. “Many other people saw what happened, but no one tried to help us.”
Yona added: “The anti-Semites have always been there. But after October 7 we felt that they had a platform to do whatever they wanted and that no one – certainly not the French authorities – could stop them.”
The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews purchased plane tickets for the Benichus family and donated $2,000 to furnish the family’s new home in the Israeli city of Beit Shemesh.
Since October 7, the organization has helped 317 people make aliyah.
New immigrants are called “olim”. This term is used for those Jews who move to Israel despite the uncertainty that lies ahead.
The group’s president, Yael Eckstein, told The Times of Israel that she expects more people to move to Israel after the war ends. There are also concerns about a surge in anti-Semitism.
She said she had noticed “an increase in requests for information about the immigration process from countries where anti-Semitic incidents have increased.”
Last month, the CEO of the Anti-Defamation League said in an appearance on MSNBC that anti-Semitism has increased by a staggering 388 percent since Hamas’ barbaric attack on Israel that began on October 7th.
The ADL’s Center on Extremism said preliminary data shows 312 reported anti-Semitic incidents in the U.S. from Oct. 7 to Oct. 23, including harassment, vandalism and assault. Pictured: Pro-Palestinian groups fill Grand Central Terminal in New York.
The 218 Americans who moved to Israel come amid a staggering rise in anti-Semitism in the country.
Last month, the CEO of the Anti-Defamation League said in an appearance on MSNBC that anti-Semitism has increased by a staggering 388 percent since Hamas’ barbaric attack on Israel that began on October 7th.
Jonathan Greenblatt, who is also director of the advocacy group, told The Sunday Show that his group has seen attacks on everyday businesses run by Jews, in addition to attacks on individuals and places of worship.
“I’m not talking about the shops that make IDF (Israel Defense Forces) T-shirts; I’m talking about a coffee shop on Long Island, an ice cream parlor in the Bay Area and a restaurant in Chicago,” he said.
“Anti-Semitism is getting stronger and bigger. We’ve seen it become normalized, both on the far right and on the far left,” Greenblatt added.
Greenblatt also raised questions about the spate of anti-Semitic incidents that have occurred on the campuses of Ivy League colleges, including Harvard and Cornell.
The ADL’s Center on Extremism said preliminary data shows 312 reported anti-Semitic incidents in the U.S. from Oct. 7 to Oct. 23, including harassment, vandalism and assault.
About 190 of them were directly related to the war between Israel and Hamas.
Examples given by the ADL included alleged physical abuse; violent online messages, especially on the messaging platform Telegram; and rallies where “ADL detected overt or strong covert support for Hamas and/or violence against Jews in Israel.”