Overview
- The Sachs family from Sydney arrived at Ben Gurion Airport on Thursday as the first immigrants to Israel in 2026.
- Immigration and Absorption Minister Ofir Sofer greeted the family at the airport, where they received Israeli ID cards.
- Their son, Levi Sachs, had previously moved to Israel and enlisted in the Israel Defense Forces.
- Ministry and CBS figures report about 21,900 immigrants in 2025, with declines from Russia and Ukraine and increases from the United States, United Kingdom, and France, including a 13% rise from North America and a 45% jump from France.
- The shift in sources of aliyah is widely attributed to rising antisemitism in Western countries, and Sofer said the government will continue taking significant steps to support immigration.