News Brief21:02 PM

(IsraelNN.com) The massive wave of Aliyah (Jewish immigration) to Israel from the former USSR, which began in 1989, is tapering off, official statistics show, but Aliyah from North America and Great Britain is up, according to Nefesh B'Nefesh. 

Overall statistics for 2007 show that 19,700 olim (new immigrants) came to Israel from over 100 countries. One third (6,445) of the olim came from the former USSR; 19% (3,607) from Ethiopia; 15% (2,957) from North America, 14% (2,659) from France; 8% from Central and South America and another 3% from Britain and other western European countries.

The last time such low Aliyah numbers were registered was in 1989, before the massive wave of immigration from the former Soviet Union. However, Aliyah activists say the "new frontiers" for Jewish immigration to Israel are North America and western Europe.