ABSTRACT
Jewish history is replete with emigrations of various kinds, including those which resulted from expulsions and those which expressed the desire of individuals or groups, who for economic or political reasons sought new places where they could be assured of a continued Jewish existence. In modern times, mass emigration has become a characteristic feature of Jewish life. After the Second World War, between a third and one-half of the Jewish people were either first-or second-generation emigrants. Between 1882 and 1914, some 2.5 million Eastern European Jews migrated to Western Europe or overseas. The ‘great migration’ was a mass movement resulting from economic, demographic and political factors. It was not planned by any public body, although Jewish organizations established for this purpose did assist by funding passports, by disseminating information regarding preferred countries of emigration and even covering travel expenses.1
