The influx of immigrants into the Land of Israel during the years 1882-1903 is known as “The First Aliyah.” This was the first large wave of immigrants that were motivated by nationalism. During these years some 25,000 Jews emigrated from Russia and Rumania, and 2,500 arrived from Yemen.
Primary Motivations
Immigrants of the First Aliyah arrived in two waves, stimulated by pogroms and violence against the Jews. The first influx followed pogroms in Russia in 1881-1882, and the second mass influx from Russia took place during 1890-1891 as a result of anti-Jewish legislation and the expulsion of Jews from Moscow. Immigration from Yemen was primarily motivated by messianic expectations.
The Immigrants
The majority of Jews that left Russia and Rumania during this period chose to immigrate to the United States. Those that came to the Land of Israel were mainly middle class people with families. Among them were also emissaries from different cities, organizations, and communities, who came to investigate the possibilities for settlement on behalf of their constituents. Because of their middle-class backgrounds and lack of familiarity with rural life, most of these immigrants chose to settle in cities, primarily Jaffa and Jerusalem. Only one quarter chose agricultural settlements. Despite their small numbers, these original farmers became the foundation of the later pioneering agricultural settlements.
During the First Aliyah period some 2500 Jews also emigrated from Yemen. The majority settled in Jerusalem, where many of them encountered economic difficulties as well as a lack of housing, and unfriendly treatment by other residents of the city. As a result, they created separate housing, community, and financial organizations for themselves.
Main Enterprises
During the time of the First Aliyah, numerous communities were established, from Metulla in the north to Gadera in the south. These communities were mainly agricultural settlements that were based on private farms. Among these communities are Rishon LeTzion, Zichron Yaakov, and Yesod HaMa’aleh. The immigrants also stimulated the development of older communities such as Petach Tikva and Rosh Pinna. Despite their ambitions and pioneering vision, many of the farming communities experienced severe economic hardship due mainly to the lack of farming experience of most of their members. They were rescued from collapse by Baron Edmond DeRothschild, who aided the settlements financially, helping them to survive until the 1900’s.
The resurrection of the Hebrew language under the leadership of Eliezer Ben Yehuda at the time of the First Aliyah brought about revolutionary changes in education and culture, especially due to the establishment of Hebrew-language schools.
