New rules for Jews immigrating to Germany

The massive growth rate of the german jewish community was due to the fact, that jews of the CIS-states were allowed to imigrate to germany. Most immigrants had their own reasons not to go to Israel, but now Israel stopped it:

The Israeli government, concerned about the declining number of Russian Jews emigrating to Israel, has persuaded Germany to institute unprecedented measures restricting the influx of Jews from the former Soviet Union, according to several Israeli officials.

Prompted by an intense behind-the-scenes lobbying campaign waged by Israel, new immigration rules would grant residence only to Jews from the former Soviet Union who are under 45, fluent in German and financially stable. The rules, announced late last month, do not include Jews from other non- Soviet countries or any other ethnic or religious group. They are expected to take effect at the beginning of next year.

"This is the most optimal response we could have expected from the Germans," said Shai Hermesh, treasurer of the Jewish Agency, the nongovernmental organization in Jerusalem that sponsors and facilitates immigration to Israel.

...
Germany's policy to encourage immigration by ex-Soviet Jews began in 1991 at the behest of then-Chancellor Helmut Kohl, who said Germany needed to show the world that it had been transformed from the Nazi days of Judenrein, or "cleansing of Jews." Since then, Germany's Jewish community, which numbered about 600,000 before the Nazis came to power, has increased from 30,000 in 1991 to nearly 200,000, with another 50,000 in the pipeline who are exempt from the new regulations.

See: New rules for Jews immigrating to Germany / Angered by loss of newcomers, Israel reportedly sought change

The quoted requirements (under 45, fluent in German and financially stable) are not limited to jewish immigrants from the CIS states. Nearly everybody who complies with these requirements is allowed to settle down in germany. It seems that the "boom" is now over. Anyway, germany is still a hip destination for young jewish people:

see: Generation G. Young Jews are immigrating to Germany -- the country that murdered their grandparents -- and embracing its culture and shedding their guilt complexes.

More than 3000 people from Israel gained german citizenship last year! This is a plus of 11,3 percent...


Turkey 44 465 --> - 20,9%
Poland 7 499 --> + 150,8%
Iran 6 362 --> – 32,6%
Russian Federation 4 381 --> + 58,5%
Afghanistan 4 077 --> – 17,6%
Ukraine 3 844 --> – 1,2%
Serbia & Montenegro 3 539 --> – 30,7%

Israel 3 164 --> + 11,3%

figures taken from http://www.presseportal.de/story.htx?nr=703651