Home > Hovevei Zion

The first aliyah: Biluim used to wearing traditional Arab headdress, the kuffiyeh

Some of the first Zionist groups were established in Eastern European countries in the early 1880s with the aim to promote Jewish immigration to the Land of Israel, then a part of Ottoman Empire, and advance Jewish settlement there, particularly agricultural. Most of them stayed away from the politics.

In 1884, thirty-six delegates met in Kattowitz, Germany (today Katowice, Poland). Rabbi Samuel Mohilever was elected president and Leon PinskerLeon Pinsker ( 1821- 1891) was a physician, a Zionist pioneer and activist, and the founder and leader of the Hovevei Zion movement. Born Yehudah Leib Pinsker in Tomaszow, Russian Poland (today's Poland), he inherited a strong sense of Jewish identity fro chairman of the organization they named Hovevei Zion. The group tried to secure financial help from Baron Edmond James de RothschildBaron Edmond James de Rothschild (born August 19, 1845 died November 2, 1934) was a philanthropist and activist for Jewish affairs and a member of the prominent Rothschild family. A member of the French branch of the Rothschild banking dynasty, he was bor and other philanthropists to aid Jewish settlements and to organize educational courses.

In the Russian Empire, waves of anti-Jewish pogromThe Russian word pogrom ("") denotes a massive violent attack on people with simultaneous destruction of their environment (homes, businesses, religious centers). Historically the term has been used to denote massive acts of violence, either spontaneous os of 1881Events January 16- 24 ? Siege of Geok Tepe ? Russian troops under general Skobeleff defeat Turkomans January 25 Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell form the Oriental Telephone Company February 5 Phoenix, Arizona is incorporated. February 13 First issu- 1884 (some allegedly state-sponsored), as well as the May LawsOn May 15, 1882, Tsar Alexander III of Russia introduced the so-called "Temporary laws" which stayed in effect for more than thirty years and came to be known as the May Laws . The systematic policy of discrimination banned Jews from all rural areas and t introduced by TsarTsar ( Bulgarian Russian often spelt Czar or Tzar in English), was the title used for the rulers of the First and Second Bulgarian Empires from 913 and in Russia from 1547 to 1917. It is derived from the Latin title Caesar. History of usage The title tsar Alexander III of RussiaAlexander Alexandrovich Romanov or Alexander III ( III ) ( March 10, 1845 November 1, 1894) was the Emperor ( Tsar) of Russia from March 14, 1881 until his death on November 1, 1894. Principles Alexander was the second son of Alexander II and in natural d in 1882, deeply affected Jewish communities. Numerous informal groups sprung up, varied in their views, political and religious affiliation, size and activities.

In order to attain legal recognition by the authorities, Russian branch of Hovevei Zion had to meet a demand to be registered as a charity. Early in 1890 its establishment was approved as "The Society for the Support of Jewish Farmers and Artisans in Syria and Eretz-Israel," which came to be known as "The Odessa Committee."