More than 630,000 Israelis now live outside Israel, with the expat community growing in the UK, according to a new report.
The study, by the Institute for Jewish Policy Research (JPR), estimates when the children of emigrants are included nearly one million people worldwide are now ‘Israel-connected’.
The report, Israelis Abroad: The Transformation of the Jewish Diaspora?, is the first comprehensive attempt to estimate the global Israeli population outside Israel and the impact it has on Jewish communities.
It found that in several countries, Israeli-born individuals now make up a significant proportion of local Jewish communities.
In Norway and Finland, for example, Israelis represent more than 40 percent of the national Jewish population, while in Spain, Ireland, Bulgaria and Denmark, the figure exceeds 20 percent.
The report shows how Israeli emigration has surged over the past decade, with Europe seeing some of the fastest growth.
The Baltic states recorded a 135 percent rise, with sharp increases also in Ireland, Bulgaria, Czechia, Spain, Germany and the UK.
While English-speaking countries remain the most popular destinations, more Israelis are choosing Europe for its economic opportunities, professional mobility and ancestral citizenship pathways.
For many years, yerida, the Hebrew term for emigration, was seen as a rejection of Zionism, but attitudes have shifted.
With Israel now a developed economy, emigration is increasingly viewed as part of globalisation, with Israelis seeking career opportunities abroad in high-tech, business and academia.
JPR executive director Dr Jonathan Boyd said the findings challenge assumptions about Jewish communities outside of Israel. “It has long been observed and understood that the Jewish population of the Diaspora is in a state of decline,” he said.
“Whilst this overall decline continues, it is being curtailed and even reversed in some countries by Israeli emigration.”
With Israelis now comprising nine percent of the global Jewish Diaspora, their influence is reshaping Jewish life abroad.
From Hebrew-language schools to Israeli-run businesses and cultural initiatives, their presence is shifting the character of many communities. Some integrate into established institutions; others maintain distinct Israeli networks alongside local Jewish structures.
The report also highlights concerns about Israel’s own future. As more Israelis choose to live abroad, there are discussions about whether this could lead to a ‘brain drain’, particularly in high-skilled industries. However, it notes, previous waves of Israeli emigration have often been temporary, with many eventually returning.
Publication of the report comes amid heightened uncertainty. The ongoing war in Gaza, a surge in global antisemitism and political instability in Israel have prompted some to reconsider their long-term future. The rising cost of living in Israel has also led some to seek higher salaries and economic stability elsewhere.
Meanwhile, Jewish communities in Europe and North America are adapting to the increasing numbers of Israeli residents.
More Israeli-run cultural centres, businesses and Hebrew-language schools are emerging, helping to sustain Jewish life in some areas while also reflecting a shifting relationship between Israel and the Diaspora.
The full report is now available at https://www.jpr.org.uk
