ABSTRACT
From its very beginnings, the revived Jewish community in the land of Israel was characterised by profound divisions and splits among its various social-cultural components. Until the First Aliyah (immigration movement), the Jewish Yishuv was primarily1 divided along ethnic lines: among Sephardim, Oriental Jews, and Ashkenazim. The latter two groups were divided into numerous subgroups based on ethnic origin, country and city of origin, and differing religious traditions. In other words, the divisions were entirely anchored in the political, social and cultural makeup of traditional societies. The common designation for all components of this society-‘The Old Yishuv’—likewise derived from this factor.
