Israel's Population Nears 9 Million
JERUSALEM, Israel -- Israelis will welcome in Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, with the population topping 8.9 million, according to the Population and Immigration Authority's report, released Sunday. For the first time, more than six million Jews will be living in the modern State of Israel.
Nearly 25,000 Jews immigrated to Israel from all over the world, including France and Ukraine, where an increase in anti-Semitism and war, respectively, have contributed to Jewish residents no longer feeling safe in these countries.
Meanwhile, of the 176,230 Israeli babies born this past year, there were 5,062 more boys than girls.
Tamar (which means "date" as in the fruit) topped the list of the 10 most popular names for girls, which included Noa, Shira, Adelle, Talia, Yael, Leanne, Miriam, Maya and Avigail.
Yosef (Joseph) was the most popular boy's name, followed by Daniel and Ori, Itai, Omer, Adam, Noam, Ariel, Eitan and David.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel's growing population is evidence of its victory over the Holocaust and over those who tried to stamp out the Jewish people over the centuries.
"No less important, for the first time in the history of the State of Israel, more than six million Jews live here. This number has great significance in light of our people's history in the previous century as well as in the current one," Netanyahu told ministers at the start of Sunday's cabinet meeting. "While we never lack constant challenges from all sides, I think that we proved over the past year that we can overcome them."
