Aliyah, the act of formally coming to live in Israel, is one of the foundation stones upon which the State of Israel was and continues to be built.
Although there has always been a Jewish presence in the land, it was not until the late 19th century that major immigration began, at that stage, mainly from Eastern Europe. Sporadic Aliyah continued into the 20th century, affected by the circumstances under which various Jewish communities found themselves living, and by the proliferation of various streams of Zionism.
The growth of Jewish settlement in Palestine led to the issuing of the Balfour Declaration in November 1917 which stated that “His Majesty’s Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people”. Jubilation was short lived however, as limits to Aliyah were imposed shortly after. Aliyah from this point onwards was largely clandestine, facilitated by underground groups such as the Haganah.
After the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 a huge wave of Aliyah resulted, mainly from North Africa and Middle Eastern countries. Latterly the State of Israel has absorbed large numbers of Ethiopian Olim and, since the collapse of Communism, over one million Olim from the former Soviet Union.
Throughout the history of Aliyah there has been a relatively small, mainly ideological Aliyah from western countries.
Reasons for ideological Aliyah tend to be difficult to express in logical terms. Rather the decision is usually based on an emotional identification with, and connection to, Israel.
The information contained in this section of the website is not intended to persuade a person that they should make Aliyah. Rather it is intended to give as much information as possible as to what Aliyah involves, so that an informed decision can be made.
It is important to couple practical information with the emotional desire to make Aliyah in order to make the move at the time that gives Aliyah the greatest chance of success. Factors to take into account include age at the time of Aliyah, professional qualifications and experience, personal finance and family status.
Our counsellors will be pleased to discuss with you these and any other issues to help you make an informed decision. |
