The Second Aliyah (1 janv. 1904 – 1 janv. 1914)

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The Second Aliyah, from 1904 to 1914, saw about 35,000 Jews, mainly from Russia and some from Yemen, immigrate to Ottoman Palestine. This movement was part of a broader wave of over two million Jews leaving Eastern Europe mainly for economic reasons and to escape growing antisemitism, such as the pogroms associated with the 1905 Russian Revolution. Most emigrants settled in the United States, attracted by better economic opportunities, while others went to South America, Australia, and South Africa.

Economic prospects in Palestine were limited, with little industry, and most Jewish immigrants earned their living through agriculture. Many struggled and eventually returned home. Influential figures like David Ben-Gurion noted that 90% left due to despair.

During this period, ideological pioneers sought to establish agricultural settlements, inspired by revolutionary ideals from the Russian Empire. The first kibbutz, Degania, was established in 1909. Many immigrants were families, largely impoverished, with some, like Akiva Aryeh Weiss, founding new communities such as Tel Aviv.

Zionism was not a primary driver of this migration, overshadowed by the harsh realities of poverty and persecution. Despite hardships, the Second Aliyah contributed to the cultural revival in Palestine, including the establishment of the Hebrew language, the first Hebrew high school, and early Hebrew filmmaking. It also led to the creation of HaShomer, a precursor to future Jewish defense organizations.

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