Significant Findings on Holocaust Survivors in Israel
Recent data released by the Central Bureau of Statistics in Israel, as reported by the Israeli Broadcasting Authority, reveals that approximately 16.9% of Holocaust survivors residing in Israel are of Moroccan descent. In comparison, individuals of European origin account for about 60%, while those with Iraqi roots make up 10.9%. The statistics illustrate a significant demographic aspect of the Jewish community in Israel, highlighting the diverse origins of those who survived one of history's darkest chapters.
According to the same source, most Holocaust survivors emigrated from Europe, particularly Germany and Austria, before the establishment of the state, while a substantial number from the former Soviet Union arrived during the large wave of immigration in the 1990s. The report indicates that there are nearly 111,000 Holocaust survivors living in Israel, with approximately 63% of them being women. Notably, all remaining survivors are over the age of 80, and around 28% have surpassed the age of 90.
Demographics and Distribution of Survivors
The report further asserts that the center of gravity for the Jewish population has shifted to Israel, which currently hosts about 45% of the global Jewish community. At the beginning of 2025, the worldwide Jewish population was estimated at around 15.8 million, a figure that is lower than the 16.6 million Jews recorded in 1939, just before World War II. In 1939, only approximately 3% of Jews worldwide, equating to around 449,000 individuals, lived in Israel. Today, that number has surged to about 7.2 million, representing 45% of the global Jewish population, while the United States remains home to the second-largest Jewish community, numbering 6.3 million.
The Israeli Broadcasting Authority also noted that approximately 9,300 couples currently living in Israel are Holocaust survivors. This data encompasses not only those who survived concentration camps and Jewish ghettos but also includes Iraqi immigrants who experienced the 'Farhud' events of 1941, as well as Moroccan, Algerian, and Tunisian Jews who faced persecution under the Vichy regime and the Nazis.
According to the Central Bureau of Statistics, 95% of Holocaust survivors in Israel reside in urban areas. Haifa has the highest concentration of survivors, with around 7,500 individuals, followed by Jerusalem with 7,100, Tel Aviv with 6,000, Ashdod with 5,500, and Netanya with 5,400.
As reported by hespress.com.
