Immigration to Palestine and Israel

This article describes the history of immigration to Palestine and later Israel since the rise of political Zionism.

Aliyah Alef

The first aliyah: Biluim used to wearing the traditional Arab headdress, the kuffiyeh

Between 1882 and 1903, approximately 35,000 Jews immigrated to Israel, then a province of the Ottoman Empire. The majority, belonging to the Hovevei Zion and Bilu movements, came from the Eastern Europe with a smaller number arriving from Yemen. Many established agricultural communities (see kibbutz and moshav). The farmer cooperatives faced serious difficulties due in part to the lack of agricultural experience. Among the towns that these individuals established are Rishon Lezion, Rosh Pina, and Zikhron Ya'aqov. In 1882, the Yemenite Jews established a new suburb of Jerusalem called the Yemenite Village in Silwan located east of the walls of the Old City on the slopes of the Mount of Olives. Approximately half of the 35,000 left by the end of the period.

Aliyah Bet

Between 1904 and 1914, 40,000 Jews immigrated mainly from Russia to Israel following pogroms and outbreaks of anti-semitism in that country. This group, many of whom were infused with socialist ideals, established the first kibbutz, Degania, in 1909 and formed self defense organizations, such as Hashomer, to counter increasing Arab hostility and theft of property. The suburb of Jaffa, Ahuzat Bayit, established at this time, grew into the city of Tel Aviv. During this period, some of the underpinnings of an independent nation state arose: the national language Hebrew was revived, newspapers and liturature written in Hebrew published, political parties and workers organizations were established. The First World War effectively ended the period of Aliyah Bet. Approximately half of the 40,000 left by the end of the period.

Aliyah Gimel

Between 1919 and 1923, 40,000 Jews, mainly from Eastern Europe arrived in the wake of the First World War, the British conquest of Palestine, the establishment of the Mandate, and the Balfour Declaration. Many of these were pioneers trained in argriculture and capable of establishing self sustaining economies. In spite of immigration quotas established by the British administration, the population of Jews reached 90,000 by the end of this period. The Jezreel Valley and the Hefer Plain marshes were drained and converted to agriculture. Additional national institutions arose: the Histadrut (General Labor Federation), an elected assembly, national council, and the Haganah. Few of these indivduals left the country.

Aliyah Dalet

Between 1924 and 1929, 82,000 Jews arrived, many as a result of anti-semitism in Poland and the immigration quotas of the United States. This group contained many middle class families that moved to the growing towns, establishing small businesses and light industry. Of these approximately 23,000 left the country.

Aliyah Heh

Between 1929 and 1939, with the rise of Nazism in Germany, a new wave 250,000 immigratants arrived. Again Eastern Europe contributed a significant portion as well as professionals, doctors, lawyers and professors, from Germany. With the completion of the port at Haifa and its oil refineries, significant industry was added to the predominently agricultural economy. The Jewish population reached 450,000. Increasing Arab violence resulted in the riots, bombings and murders of 1929 and 1936 - 1939. The latter resulted both Hebron and the Yemenite Village of Silwan being depopulated of Jews. The British imposed further restrictions on immigration. Beginning in 1939, Jewish immigration would be limited to 75,000 individuals for a period of five years after which immigration was to end completely. The British made it illegal to sell land to Jews in 95% of the Mandate. Illegal Jewish immigration into the Mandate resulted from these policies. Of the 250,000 Jewish immigrants only 20,000 left the country.

Middle Eastern Jews

In the course of the Operation Magic Carpet (1949-1950), the entire community of Yemenite Jews (about 49,000) immigrated to Israel. Most of them had never seen an airplane before, but they believed in the Biblical prophecy: according to the Book of Isaiah (40:31), God promised to return the children of Israel to Zion on wings.

1952. Huge numbers of Jewish refugees were temporary settled in "cities of tents" called "Maabarot" (plural). Their population was gradually absorbed into the Israeli society. The Maabarot existed until 1958.

Many Israeli immigrants were Sephardi and Mizrahi Jews who left Arab countries to move to Israel. In some cases they had been persecuted in those countries. 114,000 Jews came from Iraq in 1951 in Operation Ezra and Nehemiah.

Operation Solomon

In 1991, Operation Solomon was launched to rescue the Jews of Ethiopia. On one day, June 25th, 36 aircraft landed at Addis Ababa and brought 14,000 Jews from Ethiopia to Israel.