About 13,000 Ukrainians of Jewish origin have repatriated to Israel since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, while the number of repatriates from Russia amounted to 26,000, that is, about one in eight Russian Jews left the country, writes The Guardian on Sunday.
According to the publication, another 35,000 Russians of Jewish origin are awaiting paperwork.
“The repatriation process has been expedited for Ukrainians who are classified as refugees, but unexpected demand from Russia has stunned the Jewish Agency, a quasi-state body that facilitates immigration… However, the work of the Jewish Agency is under threat. In July, the Russian Ministry of Justice recommended closing the organization,” – writes the publication.
The article notes that despite pressure from its Western allies to take a decisive stance, Israel tried to remain neutral in the Russian war in Ukraine, as it relies on Moscow to facilitate its military operations in Syria, but the threat of closing the offices of the Jewish Agency prompted the acting Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid to warn that such a move would deal a serious blow to bilateral relations.
Since 1950, Israel has experienced several waves of aliyah from countries such as Sudan, Ethiopia and Yemen, as well as an influx of more than 1 million people from the USSR and its independent republics after 1989. According to Ukrainian-born Knesset member Yuli Edelshtein, who spent three years in a Siberian penal colony, history repeats itself. “Danger has been a part of the Jewish experience in Russia for generations. Nobody will ever forget this… This time people leave in a hurry – they are driven by fear,” he said.
Russian citizens in Israel are still accepted as tourists. Five new private agencies have also opened to help Jewish Russians make aliyah. “Municipal administration offices across the country have seen a surge in the number of people looking for documents to support their claims of Jewish ancestry. Many of those turning to the authorities for help are mothers desperate to get their sons out of the country,” it said. in the article.
Source: http://theguardian.com/world/2022/oct/16/ukrainians-russians-jews-jewish-roots-flee-israel-aliyah
