The reasons are many and varied: ideology, religion, finances, social and even randomness. Some of them came to realize the Zionist vision or to build here a new and more ideal society, some of them came to study the Bible and a return to a former glory. Others found refuge here owing to evil decrees, persecution and humiliation, while some immigrated simply because they thought that this country held the promise of a better future for them and their children.

These waves of immigration included young people, adults, children and the elderly, widows and orphans, poets, professors, farmers, engineers, shoemakers and penniless refugees, rich people and beggars in rags, those with excellent educations and those who had never even learned to read and write. The fact of their being Jewish and wishing to connect their fate and that of their children with the State of Israel was a sufficient reason for their being accepted with open arms as citizens with equal rights in their new country, irrespective of age, skin colour, reason for their arrival, language, education, personal persuasion or economic standing. Perhaps it is precisely its democracy, solidarity and equality that are the secret of the magic and success of the Zionist enterprise.

Israel Independence Day 2005
(Courtesy JerusalemShots.com)

E-H Dictionary

November 1949, Yemen immigrants on the way to the Joint interim camp near Aden, Yemen

Immigrants from Iraq leaving Lod airport on their way to ma’abara, 1951

Immigramts from Iraq landing at Lod Airport, May 11th 1950

Pictures courtesy http://en.wikipedia.org/

Immigration to Israel (1948-2008) By country of birth or last country of residence*

America & Oceania     245,680 Immigrants
North America     134,000
United States     120,000
Canada     9,500
Mexico     4,500
South & Central America     104,180
Argentina     68,000
Brazil     12,500
Uruguay     11,000
Chile     6,700
Colombia     2,300
Venezuela     1,200
Peru     1,150
Cuba     480
Other countries     850
Oceania     7,500
Australia/New Zealand     7,500

Africa     525,600 Immigrants
Morocco     270,000
Ethiopia     81,400
Tunisia     54,000
Egypt/Sudan     37,000
Libya     34,500
Algeria     26,000
South Africa     20,000
Other countries     2,700

Europe     1,905,800 Immigrants
East Europe     1,733,500
Russia & FSU republics     1,112,000
Romania     275,000
Poland     173,000
Turkey     61,000
Bulgaria     43,000
Hungary     31,500
Former Czechoslovakia     24,000
Former Yugoslavia     10,000
Greece     4,000
West & Central Europe     172,300
France     85,000
United Kingdom     32,500
Germany     21,000
Netherlands     6,500
Austria     5,600
Belgium     4,600
Italy     4,500
Scandinavian countries     4,300
Switzerland     3,700
Spain     1,600
Other countries     3,000
Total     3,075,180