Jewish Return To Israel After Being Banned

 Nadene Goldfoot                                              

In 70 CE, the Romans cut off any Jews living in Jerusalem.  It was after the Romans had occupied the city, then destroyed Solomon's Temple and had burned the city down.  Jews were banned from Judaea, the only state left from the unified Israel that had been made up of the 12 tribes of Jacob.                                         

During the years 132–135 CE, Bar Kokhba, also known as Simon bar Kokhba, led a revolt against Roman rule in Judea and attempted to take back Jerusalem. Bar Kokhba's revolt was a major uprising by the Jewish people in Judaea against the Roman Empire. According to Britannica, although initially successful by holding it for those 3 years, his forces were ultimately defeated by the Romans under the leadership of Julius Severus. 

In 1121,(986 years later)  some 300 Jews went back to what had been now called Palestine in 135 CE from France and England.  

Nahmanides returned in 1267 and Obadiah of Bertinoro returned in 1488, with both being followed by groups of disciples; while as a result of the Spanish expulsion in 1492, many Sephardi Jews including an important Kabbalistic circle entered the country.  Joseph Nasi's resettlement attempts in 1564 brought groups from Italy, while in 1700, 1,500 Jews arrived from Eastern Europe in response to Rabbi Judah Hasid's call.  In the latter 18th century, there was a large influx of both Hasidim and followers of the famous Vilna Gaon.  

From 1850 to 1880, a time preceding the BILU (Bilu (Hebrew: ביל"ו; also Palestine Pioneers) was a Jewish movement of the late 19th century, fueled predominantly by the immigration of Russian Jews, whose goal was the agricultural settlement of the Land of Israel. Its name is an acronym for the Hebrew phrase "Beit Ya'akov Lekhu Venelkhah," meaning "House of Jacob, come, let us go". )  It is estimated that 20,000 to 30,000 Jews settled in Palestine.  The were organized mainly because of the influence by Zionism, which began in 1882.  

The 1st Aliyah of Jews went to Palestine from 1882 till 1903. It started with pogroms by the Russians.  BILU assisted them.  300 families and other smaller groups arrived from Russia, 450 pioneers from Romania, and a few dozen from Yemen came.  An attempt by the HOVEVE ZION  to coordinate immigration resulted in the KATTOWITZ CONFERENCE of 1884. Turkish authorities added complications.  Many agricultural settlements were founded.  

Continued persecutions in 1890 Eastern Europe caused thousands of Russian Jews  to Palestine.  It's estimate that from 1882 to 1890, 25,000 Jews had immigrated to Palestine.  

A 2nd Aliyah started in 1904-1914. Most were Russians. During this time was the worst of all pogroms, the Kishinev and Homel.  There was also the failure of the 1905 Revolution.  Many were motivated by socialistic idealism.   35,000-40,000 entered  during this period. Jews from  Oriental countries  came also.  By 1940, there were 90,000 Jews. Only 50,000 remained after World War I.  

A 3rd Aliyah started in 1919-1923 with the Balfour Declaration.  This time, members of the He-Halutz of youth were prominent in the population.  In 1920, free immigration was permitted to persons with means of making a living like craftsmen, those joining their families, and Talmud students whose upkeep was assured.  A quota was fixed for immigrants who had guarantees of maintenance by the Zionist Organization.  From 1920 to 1923, the average year saw 8,000 immigrants This raised the population back to 90,000.  

A 4th Aliyah started in 1924  to 1931with the most in 1924-25.  Polish Jews came who were suffering from fiscal restrictions. They were from the middle class, the capitalists, with some leaving in 1926 during the depression.  In 1931 they still had 90,000.  

A 5th Aliyah started in 1932 to 1940. This was the beginning of the Nazi persecutions.  144,000 immigrants made up the census.

There were 750,000 Jews in when the state was established in 1948.  Free Jewish immigration was  immediately proclaimed and mass immigration started.