The reasons are many and varied: ideology, religion, finances, social and even randomness. Some of them came to realize the Zionist vision or to build here a new and more ideal society, some of them came to study the Bible and a return to a former glory. Others found refuge here owing to evil decrees, persecution and humiliation, while some immigrated simply because they thought that this country held the promise of a better future for them and their children.

These waves of immigration included young people, adults, children and the elderly, widows and orphans, poets, professors, farmers, engineers, shoemakers and penniless refugees, rich people and beggars in rags, those with excellent educations and those who had never even learned to read and write. The fact of their being Jewish and wishing to connect their fate and that of their children with the State of Israel was a sufficient reason for their being accepted with open arms as citizens with equal rights in their new country, irrespective of age, skin colour, reason for their arrival, language, education, personal persuasion or economic standing. Perhaps it is precisely its democracy, solidarity and equality that are the secret of the magic and success of the Zionist enterprise.

Israel Independence Day 2005
(Courtesy JerusalemShots.com)

E-H Dictionary

November 1949, Yemen immigrants on the way to the Joint interim camp near Aden, Yemen

Immigrants from Iraq leaving Lod airport on their way to ma’abara, 1951

Immigramts from Iraq landing at Lod Airport, May 11th 1950

Pictures courtesy http://en.wikipedia.org/

Immigration to Israel (1948-2008) By country of birth or last country of residence*

America & Oceania     245,680 Immigrants
North America     134,000
United States     120,000
Canada     9,500
Mexico     4,500
South & Central America     104,180
Argentina     68,000
Brazil     12,500
Uruguay     11,000
Chile     6,700
Colombia     2,300
Venezuela     1,200
Peru     1,150
Cuba     480
Other countries     850
Oceania     7,500
Australia/New Zealand     7,500

Africa     525,600 Immigrants
Morocco     270,000
Ethiopia     81,400
Tunisia     54,000
Egypt/Sudan     37,000
Libya     34,500
Algeria     26,000
South Africa     20,000
Other countries     2,700

Europe     1,905,800 Immigrants
East Europe     1,733,500
Russia & FSU republics     1,112,000
Romania     275,000
Poland     173,000
Turkey     61,000
Bulgaria     43,000
Hungary     31,500
Former Czechoslovakia     24,000
Former Yugoslavia     10,000
Greece     4,000
West & Central Europe     172,300
France     85,000
United Kingdom     32,500
Germany     21,000
Netherlands     6,500
Austria     5,600
Belgium     4,600
Italy     4,500
Scandinavian countries     4,300
Switzerland     3,700
Spain     1,600
Other countries     3,000
Total     3,075,180

The Israeli nationality law states that the Israeli law see Israel citizens which also have a foreign citizenship as citizens of Israel. This means that an Israeli citizen is entitled to have one citizenship or another more (dual citizenship), and that he would be considered a citizen of Israel regarding any matter, and an Israeli citizen only, as long as the his Israeli citizenship would remain relevant in terms of the Israeli law.

For example, a citizen of Israel who also has a foreign citizenship is considered a foreign citizen (is this correct?) in accordance to the Israeli Security Service Law and is subject to a mandatory military service according to that law; he is considered a citizen of Israel regarding the criminal liability of Israeli civilians according to the Israeli Penal Law; and he is considered a citizen of Israel according to the Israeli laws of personal status, such as the authority jurisdiction of the rabbinical courts in the matters of marriages and divorces, according to the Israeli Rabinical courts jurisdictions law.

The K’neset, Israeli Parliament

Dual Citizenship

אזרחות כפולה

רצון

רשות

אפשרי

זר

כניסה

חוק

Nearly half a million children (ages 0 through 17) live in Israel today, about one third of the county’s population. 156,900 were born in 2008.

Among popular boys’ names after Noam were Itai, Uri, Daniel, Yehonatan, David, Ido, Moshe, Yosef and Yonatan.

Among the popular girls’ names were Shira, Yael, Tamar, Maya, Talyah, Sarah, Hila, Michal and Adi, Lian came in number 12 and Noya 15th.

1970 boys and 515 gilds named Noam in 2008

שיר

גל

תמר

אלמוג

מתן

נעם

עדי