Israel hails highest immigration figures in a decade.

JERUSALEM NEWS:

 The number of Jews moving to Israel leapt in 2014
to its highest figure in a decade ,with western Europe
leading the way ,the immigration ministry said.

Immigration hit a 10 year high,with the arrival
of some 26,500 new residents ,according to a
joint statement with the Jewish Agency,a quasi-
governmental organisation tasked with encouraging
Jews to move to Israel.

It 'also'saw a historic shift;for the first time in
Israel's history,the  number of immigrants who came
to Israel from the free world is greater than that of
immigrants fleeing countries in distress

For the first time  ever,France provided the biggest
number,as more than 6,600 Jews moved to Israel.
 That was nearly twice the 3,400 who arrived in 2013.

Immigration from former Soviet Union countries
saw a 50 percent increase ,with the arrival of some
11450 people .compared with 7,610 in 2013.
That was largely driven by an exodus from conflict-
wracked UKRAINE,where the number surged
190 percent to 5,840--AFP.