Jewish Population Grows In Germany

The number of Jews in Germany has risen more than 60 percent since 1989 due largely to immigration from eastern Europe, Jewish officials said Thursday.

The Jewish population in Germany is 45,466, compared with 27,711 in 1989, according to the Jewish welfare office. The number is expected to reach 50,000 by the end of the year.

Before World War II, Germany had about 500,000 Jews.

In recent years, many Jews from the former Soviet Union and eastern Europe chose to settle in Germany rather than go to Israel.