Israelis living abroad are returning to Israel in large numbers, according to data published by the Central Bureau of Statistics on Wednesday.
In 2012, some 8,800 Israeli citizens moved back after a year or more abroad, followed by 9,020 in 2013. Some 1,700 Israelis emigrated in 2012, leaving a net gain of 7,100 Israelis that year.
The numbers indicate that one out of every two Israelis who leave the country returns. Since the global financial crisis of 2008, the number of Israelis abroad choosing to return to their home country has jumped by 40 to 50 percent. More than half — 57 percent — return to Israel within two years of leaving.
Two-thirds of Israeli men who return to the country are single, compared to 56 percent in 1996, while 54 percent of returning Israeli women are single, compared to 44 percent in 1996. In the 18-year period between 1996 and 2014, 158,800 Israelis have returned from living abroad.
From the establishment of the state through the end of 2012, some 698,000 Israelis have left the country. Between 116,000 and 149,000 died abroad, putting the number of Israeli natives currently living outside the country at between 549,000 and 582,000.