In a fascinating twist of global migration patterns, the Pew Research Center's latest analysis uncovers that a striking 20% of Jews worldwide reside outside their country of birth. This makes Jews the most migratory religious group by percentage, defying the odds given their status as one of the smaller religious communities, comprising only about 1% of the global migrant population.
Findings, based on 2020 data, reveal that while Christians make up the largest religious migrant group at 47%, Jews are the most likely to move. Israel emerges as the top destination, home to 1.5 million Jewish migrants, accounting for 51% of the Jewish diaspora. Trailing are the United States with 400,000 and the United Kingdom with 120,000. Other significant hubs include Russia, Ukraine and former Soviet states like Moldova and Georgia.
The analysis highlights the influence of former Soviet republics, with Ukraine and Russia contributing substantially to Israel's Jewish migrant population. Morocco also ranks prominently, having sent 160,000 Jewish migrants. From 1990 to 2020, the global Jewish migrant population expanded by 28%, from 2.3 million to 3 million, marking relatively modest growth compared to non-religious and Hindu groups.
Europe holds the title as the most common origin for Jewish migrants (47%), followed by the Middle East and North Africa (26%), notably Israel and Morocco. Around 8% hail from Latin America, another 8% from Asia, with smaller percentages originating from North America and sub-Saharan Africa.
The study also notes a significant movement of Jews to settlements, particularly in the West Bank, with 50,000 relocating – most of whom were born in Israel. This migration is linked to the expansion of Israeli settlements, adding another layer to the complex tapestry of global Jewish migration.