For decades, Israel has been hailed as a global innovation powerhouse, earning the moniker "Startup Nation" for its revolutionary contributions to technology and medicine. However, the events of October 7, 2023 - marked by a devastating attack and the ensuing conflicts with Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran - have profoundly shaken the nation’s psyche, sparking a wave of emigration that shows no signs of abating.
Initially driven by immediate security concerns, this exodus has evolved into a sustained migration pattern, with increasing numbers of Israelis seeking refuge and stability in Europe and beyond. According to Israel's Central Bureau of Statistics, permanent emigration spiked by a staggering 285% in the weeks following October 7. While the rate has since stabilized, the continued outflow highlights deep-seated anxieties about safety, governance, and social cohesion.
This migration trend had already begun to accelerate in the months preceding the war, with emigration up 51% amid widespread protests against the government’s judicial overhaul. Yet the war has intensified the exodus, particularly among Israel's most educated and economically mobile citizens.
Data shows that many emigrants are married professionals in tech, medicine, academia, and business—industries vital to the country's economic future.
For many Jewish Israelis, ancestral passports from Germany, Poland, and other European nations provide relatively straightforward pathways to European Union residency. Germany and Portugal have emerged as favored destinations, offering political stability, robust economies, and access to broader international markets.
* Fortune Magazine contributed to this article.