Aliyah Bet - Illegal immigration,
also known as Ha'apalah; the operation to bring immigrants to
Eretz Yisrael in excess of the number allowed by the British,
before World War II until 1948.
Aliyat Hanoar (see
Youth Aliyah)
Alliance Israelite Universelle
- International Jewish organization, founded in Paris, 1860,
to protect Jewish rights as citizens and to promote education
and professional development among Jews around the world.
Altalena - Ship carrying
immigrants and ammunition from France to Israel in June, 1948
under the command of Etzel and in direct challenge to authority
of Tzahal. Destroyed by the IDF, Tzahal, killing 21 on board.
Arab Higher Committee - Radical
group established in 1945 by Arab League that represented Palestinian
Arab interests, rejecting all compromise on rights of Jews to
Eretz Yisrael.
Arab League - Organization
of Arab states, founded 1945, works for common political and
economic goals, often as pan-Arab opposition to Israel.
Avoda Ivrit - Jewish labour:
slogan adopted during pioneering days in the Land of Israel,
i.e., to do physical work, not to hire others to do it.
B
Balfour Declaration - Statement
issued by the British Government, 1917 recognizing the - Jewish
people's right to a national home in the land of Israel, named
for Lord Balfour who signed it on Britain’s behalf.
Berihah - Literally, flight--underground
operation 1944-1949 to move Jews from Europe to Eretz Yisrael,
largely through means of illegal immigration.
Betar - Zionist youth movement
established 1923, emphasizing Hebrew language, culture, and
self-defense. Motivated by ideologies of Jabotinsky and Trumpeldor,
with goal of Jewish state "on both sides of the Jordan." Name,
acronym for "Brit Trumpeldor," also after ancient fortress of
Bar Kokhba.
BILU - ( 1882 ) Student
organization for aliya. Name consists of initials of the words
( 1883 ) in verse in Isaiah II:5, "House of Jacob, come, let
us go up."
Bnai Brith - World's oldest
and largest Jewish organization, founded in 1843 in New York,
concerned with protecting Jewish interests around the world.
Among its key divisions: the Anti-Defamation League, which combats
anti-semitism, and Hillel Houses, which foster Jewish life on
college campuses.
Bnei Akiva - Religious Zionist
youth movement, founded 1929, emphasizing the religious importance
of life and work in Israel. Motto: "Torah v'avodah," "Torah
and work [in Israel.]."
C
Camp David Accords - Peace
agreement reached between Israel and Egypt, the first between
Israel and an Arab neighbor, signed March, 1979. Called for
normalization of relations and return of the Sinai to Egypt.
Certificatim - Immigration
certificates allocated by the British Mandate Government each
year under the quota system.
D
Declaration Of Independence -
Proclamation read in Tel Aviv by David Ben Gurion on May 14,
1948, declaring Eretz Yisrael, the historical and spiritual
homeland of the Jewish people, an independent state, to be known
as the State of Israel.
Declaration Of Principles -
Agreement signed September 13, 1993, between Israel and the
P.L.O., affirming mutual recognition and legitimacy. The P.L.O.
agreed to end the intifada and terrorist activity and to amend
its charter calling for the destruction of Israel. Israel agreed
to grant the P.L.O. civil autonomy over the majority of Gaza
and the West Bank.
Development Towns - New
towns established to provide for urban growth, but essentially
to house immigrants since 1950's, succeeding the ma'abarah,
transitional camp, which had been widely used since 1948. Its
goal was to offer communities both homes and employment opportunities,
although it often did not succeed in raising initial lower economic
status; used primarily for immigrants of Sephardi and eastern
origin.
E
Eretz Yisrael - Land of
Israel; (modern) Jewish homeland to be established in Palestine.
Etzel - Irgun Zvai Leumi
- National Military Organization - underground resistance group
founded 1931 - split from Hagana. Disbanded 1948, when the State
of Israel was established.
Exodus - Aliya Bet ship,
left France July 11, 1947, carrying 4,500 immigrants. Challenged
and boarded by the British Navy - three Jews were killed. Immigrants
were forcibly transported back to Germany in British transport
ships. Subject of film and novel of same name by Leon Uris.
F
Fifth Of Iyar - Date State
of Israel was founded - May 15, 1948.
G
Gadna - Gedudei Noar--Israeli
youth corps run by Ministry of Defense for pre-military training
of teenagers.
Gola - The Exile (Diaspora)
- lands of the dispersion outside of Israel. Also, GALUT.
Gush Emunim - Bloc of the
Faithful-- Israeli religious group that believes in "Greater
Land of Israel" as fulfillment of Zionist dream and step in
redemption process, and therefore opposes return of territory
conquered in Six Day War.
H
Ha'apalah - Aliya Bet -
illegal immigration to Israel in ships attempting to break through
the British blockade around Palestine before and after World
War II. MA'APILIM - illegal immigrants.
Habonim - International
youth movement stressing Hebrew language, culture, and settlement
in Eretz Yisrael, and with strong ties to kibbutz movement.
Haganah - Underground defense
force of pre-state Jewish community in Mandate Palestine. Founded
1920, ceased operation after founding of State of Israel.
HALUTZ - The Jewish pioneer
in the Yishuv, who reclaimed the land in Israel, built roads
and established new settlements.
Hapo'el Hatza'ir - The Young
Worker--Eretz Yisrael Labor Party, founded 1905 by pioneers
of Second aliyah, stressing Jewish labor as Zionist value. First
indigenous workers' party, whose members helped found first
kibbutz and first moshav.
Hashomer - Jewish defense
organization in Palestine organized 1909, ceased to operate
after founding of Haganah, 1920.
Hashomer Hatza'ir - Zionist
socialist youth movement, founded in Europe in 1916, to prepare
Jewish youth for kibbutz life in Israel. In addition to Zionism,
its ideology meshes Jewish culture with universal culture and
values and it retains strong ties to the left-wing kibbutz movement
today.
Hatikvah - National anthem
of Israel. The words were written by Naftali Herz Imber (about
1870). The melody is a folk song based on a tune which is known
in many European countries in various forms.
He-Halutz - Zionist youth
movement begun in Eastern Europe to promote settlement, primarily
agricultural. Name, meaning "the pioneer," is also term used
for vanguard in original conquest of Eretz Yisrael under Joshua.
Hibbat Tzion - Love of Zion.
A popular movement for the redemption and rebuilding of Israel
which sprang up among the Jews in Russia and spread to other
countries at the end of the 19th century. HOVEVEI TZION - its
members.
Histadrut - Collective body
of trade unions in Israel, comprising a majority of the country's
labor force. Established in 1920, the Union originally incorporated
all laborers in Eretz Yisrael with the aim of providing for
financial and cultural needs of all workers in the country.
Hityashvut - Literally settlement:
refers to agricultural settlement founded on collective or cooperative
ideas and principles based on self labor.
Homa Umigdal - Tower and
stockade. Type of collective settlement built as a stronghold
to withstand Arab attacks during the British Mandate period
and strategically defending the Jewish people settling in the
land.
Hok Hashvut - Law of Return
(1950) grants right of immigration to Israel to every Jew.
I
Illegal Immigration - Immigration
to Eretz Yisrael 1940-1948, where most entered British-controlled
country through clandestine operations or forged documents.
Associated with Ha'apalah or Aliyah Bet.
Intifada - Arabic, literally
"shaking off.” Palestinian civil uprising in Gaza and the West
Bank, December,1987-September, 1993, to protest Israeli occupation.
J
Jewish Agency - Established
1929 by Zionist Congress to encourage settlement of Eretz Yisrael
and enlist international Jewish support for development projects.
In 1948, the State assumed many of its responsibilities. Its
emphases are immigration, youth work, land settlement, and education.
The Jewish Brigade ( Habrigada Hayehudit)
- The Jewish Brigade consisted of Jewish soldiers from
Mandate Palestine who fought within the framework of the British
forces against the Nazis in Europe during World War II. The
soldiers of the Brigade were the first to come in contact with
the Jewish survivors of the Nazi concentration camps in Europe.
Jewish Colonization Association
- Organization, founded 1891, to assist Jewish emigration
from countries of persecution or depressed economies to countries
of opportunity.
Der Judenstaat - "The Jewish
State" - the book by Theodor Herzl (founder of the Zionist Movement)
in which he expressed his ideas about the form a Jewish state
in Eretz Yisrael should take.
K
Kaf-Tet Benovember 1947 (November
29, 1947) -
The day on which the General
Assembly of the United Nations voted in favor of the partition
of Palestine into Jewish and Arab states.
Keren Hayesod - Overseas
funding organization for the World Zionist Organization, funded
in London in 1920.
See timeline
Kibbush Hashmama - The conquest
of the desert. The rehabilitation and settlement of desert regions
(the southern part of Israel) through projects of reclamation,
settlements, etc.
Kibbutz - Voluntary communal
settlement - a practical expression of collective responsibility
for everyday life in Israel.
Kibbutz Galuyot - Ingathering
of Exiles. Israel is realizing the vision of the Biblical prophets
and the ideals of the Zionist movement in serving as the gathering
place for Jews from all parts of the world.
Klita - Absorption; social
and economic integration of immigrants.
Knesset - Representative
Assembly. Israel's parliament. Its name and the number of its
members are based on the "Knesset Hagdola" of the early Second
Temple period. It is composed of 120 representatives of different
political parties, elected for a four-year term.
L
Lehi - Lohamei Herut Yisrael.
Fighters for Israel's Freedom. An underground fighting movement
during the British mandate. Founded in 1939 and disbanded in
1948.
M
Maccabi World Union - International
Jewish sports organization, founded in eastern Europe, at a
time when Jews were barred from other sports organizations,
with the mission to further physical fitness among Jewish youth
as a prerequisite for building a national homeland.
Mandate - Authority granted
to a state to govern a particular region in order to promote
self-government.
Megillat Ha'atzmaut - Scroll
on which the Declaration of Independence of the State of Israel
is inscribed, proclaimed in Tel Aviv on the 5th of Iyar 5708
(May 15, 1948).
Menorah (7-Branched Candelabra)
- The official emblem of the State of Israel and the
ancient symbol of the Jewish people in the form appearing in
the relief on the Arch of Titus in Rome. The origin of the Menorah
is the Israeli seven-branched salvia plant.
Metzada (Massada) - Massada
(from the Greek name) - a mountain fortress overlooking the
shores of the Dead Sea where Jewish insurgents held out for
three years against the Romans after the fall of Jerusalem in
70C.E. and then took their own lives. Metzada has remained a
symbol of Jewish heroism.
Milhemet Hahatasha - War
of Attrition. In 1968 Egypt declared a war of attrition against
Israel, which came to an end with the renewal of the cease-fire
in August, 1970.
Mizrachi - Religious Zionist
movement founded in 1902 to encourage Zionism among Orthodox
Jews and promote religious and cultural ideas among its constituents.
Its motto was: "ưThe Land of Israel for the people of Israel
according to the Torah of Israel."
Mizug Galuyot - The integration
of different Jewish communities into Israeli society.
Moshav - Cooperative smallholders'
village (moshav ovdim) or communal cooperative village (moshav
shitufi).
Moshava - Early settlement,
originally agricultural.
N
Nahal - NO’AR HALUTZ LOHEM
- Fighting Pioneer Youth. A part of the Israel Defense Forces
which combines agricultural work and military service. HITNAHALUT;
originally referred to settlement at outposts.
Nili - Netzah Yisrael
Lo Yishaker: Israel Will Survive Forever. This was the name
of a small Jewish underground organization in Palestine during
the First World War which helped the British Army liberate Palestine
from the Turks.
O
Oleh - Immigrant to Israel.
See also, ALIYAH.
Oslo - Capital of Norway,
site of secret talks in 1993 between Israel and P.L.O. that
led to mutual recognition and Declaration of Principles. Refers
generally to multi-stage agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.
Oz V'Shalom/Netivot Shalom -
Strength and Peace/Paths of Peace--Israeli religious peace movement
that supports territorial compromise as a means to peace with
the Palestinians.
P
Palmach - Central assault
force of the Haganah, involved especially in underground activities
defending the Yishuv and assisting illegal immigration.
The Peel Commission - Royal
Commission of Inquiry headed by Lord Peel 1936-37, dispatched
to Eretz Yisrael after the 1936 Arab riots. First body to opt
for partition of the country into two states - Jewish and Arab.
Po'alei Zion - Zionist-Socialist
movement begun in early twentieth century, which later became
a political party under the leadership of Yitzhak Ben Zvi and
David Ben Gurion.
Political Movements - Shalom
Achshav Peace Now--Israeli peace movement that works for peace
agreements between Israel and Arab neighbors. Premised on immediate
need to relinquish territory captured in the Six Day War as
prerequisite for peace with Palestinians.
R
Revisionism - Zionist political
movement, founded and led by Jabotinsky, urging accelerated
realization of Zionism in form of establishment of State. Opposed
Weizmann's leadership and mainstream Zionist politics during
Mandate as too moderate.
The Riots (Disturbances) -
Disturbances with heavy bloodshed, high death-toll, perpetrated
by Arabs to sabotage Yishuv development, stop immigration &
land purchases - 1920 21,29, 36-39.
S
Shoah - Holocaust - Outcome
of Nazi state antisemitism in the planned Genocide of European,
Soviet, Balkan and N. African Jewry under Hitler - before and
during the Second World War. An estimated 6 million Jews were
annihilated in death camps, concentration camps and regional
massacres. Post-war survivors were not allowed to come to Eretz
Yisrael in excess of the annual Mandate quota. See also EXODUS.
Supreme Arab Council - Arab
leadership of Eretz Yisrael, established during the Arab rebellion,
led by Mufti Haj Amin al-Husseini 1936-1939.
T
Tzahal (Tzva Haganah Leyisrael)
- Israel's Defense Forces.
U
Ulpan - Class or school
for intensive study of Hebrew language.
V
Va'ad Leumi - NATIONAL COUNCIL:
Pre-State elected governing body, the executive branch of the
state-in-the-making, which functioned 1920-1948, during the
British Mandate period and focused on social and welfare issues.
W
White Paper - The British
Government White Paper which virtually closed Mandate Palestine
to Jewish immigration on the eve of the Second World War and
the SHOAH (Holocaust).
Y
Yishuv - Pre-state Jewish
community. A distinction is also made between the Old Yishuv,
which lived largely for religious study on donations from benefactors,
and the New Yishuv, which began with the large modern aliyot.
Yom Ha'atzmaut - Israel's
Independence Day, celebrated according to the Jewish calendar
on the 5th day of the month of Iyar (Israel was proclaimed as
an independent state on May 15, 1948).
Yom Hazikaron - Memorial
Day on the 4th of Iyar (the day before Yom Ha'atzmaut). To commemorate
those who died in Israel's wars.
Yom Yerushalayim - Jerusalem
Day, celebrated on the 28th of Iyar to commemorate the reunification
of East and West Jerusalem. Jerusalem was reunited on June 7,
1967, during the Six Day War, with the entrance of the IDF into
the Old City and Jewish holy places.
Youth Aliyah
- Department of Jewish Agency; a project which began
in 1934 and continued after World War II in Eretz Yisrael, to
save Jewish children and orphans from difficulties and imminent
danger abroad, to educate and bring them to live in Eretz Yisrael.
Program founded by Henrietta Szold.
Z
Zionism - Movement whose
goal was return of Jews to Eretz Yisrael, or Zion, Jewish synonym
for Jerusalem and the Land of Israel.
Zionism - Major Streams Of Early
Zionism - Cultural Zionism Belief that successful settlement
and re-population of Eretz Yisrael was predicated on need for
revitalization of Jewish culture and Hebrew language. Eretz
Yisrael can then become necessary cultural and spiritual center
for Diaspora Jewry. Based primarily on ideas of Ahad Ha'am.
Practical Zionism - Early
manifestation of modern Zionist movement, urging return of Jews
to and settlement in Eretz Yisrael, not predicated on political
agreement.
Religious Zionism - Belief
that Jewish nationalism is religious as well as political goal,
to be realized as Jewish homeland in Eretz Yisrael based on
"Torah v'avodah," a synthesis of Torah with practical labor.
Synthetic Zionism - Term
coined by Chaim Weizmann which urges fusion of political goals
of Jewish homeland with practical goals of Jewish settlement,
labor, and culture in Eretz Yisrael.
|