Largest UK aliyah in 15 years: 44 British Jews moved to Israel on ICEJ-sponsored flight last week

British Jews are apparently feeling the pressure to move to the Jewish state amid rising antisemitism and growing hostility toward the Jewish community in the United Kingdom.

Last week, 44 British Jews chose to leave their homes and resettle in Israel, with assistance from the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ).

The aliyah flight, organized by the Jewish Agency for Israel, was funded by donors of ICEJ and represents the largest group of Jewish people emigrating from the UK for 15 years, according to David Parsons, ICEJ senior vice president.

The 44 British Jews arrived at Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv last Thursday as new immigrants (olim hadashim). Ranging from babies to the elderly, all generations were part of a growing exodus from England, driven by the steady rise of antisemitism across the UK.

The war precipitated by the Hamas massacre on Oct. 7, 2023, has led to such extreme levels of antisemitism that a total of 676 British Jews decided to immigrate to Israel (make aliyah) in 2024, compared to 336 in 2023, according to ICEJ.

In total, at least 45,000 Jews have made aliyah to Israel from countries worldwide since the Gaza War began, more than 5,200 of whom have been helped home on flights sponsored by the Christian organization. 

It appears to have become widely accepted in the UK that Israel is “committing genocide” with huge pro-Palestinian protests and marches brimming with hostility against Israel almost every weekend, and anti-Israel sentiment running high. Israel is routinely conflated with the Jewish community which experiences regular attacks as a result. 

Last week, the Community Security Trust (CST) reported 1,521 antisemitic incidents in the UK between January and June 2025; one of the most prominent being the call for “Death to the IDF” chanted from the stage at the Glastonbury Music Festival in June, and broadcast without interruption by the BBC.

In general, police have been slow to protect Jewish sites and buildings, such as synagogues and schools, from the intimidating marches, instead trying to contain people who are “visibly Jewish” or openly supportive of Israel, concerned that their presence could cause a disturbance – even arresting and detaining them at times.

The British organization "Campaign Against Antisemitism" recently posted a video on social media, asking Londoners if they would be willing to wear a T-shirt declaring, “I love my Jewish friends.” One lady said she was “sympathetic to the Jews,” and when asked if she was aware of the high levels of antisemitism in the UK she responded, “I am, yes,” adding, “but the Jewish question – I thought it had been forgotten years ago and now it's come back, more than it has been before in my life.”

Nicole Yoder, ICEJ Vice President for Aid and Aliyah, expressed her feelings about the significance of the aliyah flight.

“It was a special and moving moment – to participate in the flight that brought the largest Aliyah group from Britain in more than a decade,” she said, after accompanying the British group on their way to Israel. “Seeing these families step off the plane, full of hope for a new life in their ancestral homeland, was incredibly inspiring.”

Working with the Jewish Agency and others, ICEJ has helped 190,000 Jews to make aliyah since its establishment in 1980.

“Our support for aliyah from Britain and so many other countries is meant to express our solidarity with the Jewish people in this difficult time they currently are facing worldwide due to the worrisome increase in global antisemitism,” said ICEJ President Dr. Jürgen Bühler.

“We want to help every Jewish family we can to return to their historic homeland in Eretz Israel. Thus, we are greatly pleased and honored to support this latest group of Jews making Aliyah from Britain.”