A record number of new immigrants - 1,225 people - arrived in Israel this week from different parts of the world. This is the largest weekly number since the beginning of 2001. The Jewish Agency reports that 240 youngsters arrived on two flights from the former Soviet Union this week, and were welcomed at the airport by Agency chairman Salai Meridor and Deputy Absorption Minister Yuli Edelstein. Meridor thanked them for coming to Israel, and told them that there is nothing more important to the Jewish people and the State of Israel than aliyah. In all, 43,000 olim (new immigrants) have come to Israel since the current violence erupted eleven months ago.