Diaspora's Reluctant Return Home

The second migration of Jews took place between 1904 and 1914, driven by increased anti-Semitism and pogroms in the Russian Empire. Most Russian Jews continued to emigrate to the U.S. and other locations, but approximately 40,000 Jews returned to settle in Israel[1]. The same observations from the first migration apply to the second: the Jews were compelled to emigrate, and the majority remained reluctant to return to Israel. By 1914, the total Jewish population in Palestine was approximately 94,000[2], while the global Jewish population was around 13,500,000[3], meaning that Jews in Israel accounted for approximately 0.7% of the global Jewish population.

The third migration of Jews occurred between 1919 and 1923, catalyzed by pogroms in the Russian Empire, Poland, and Hungary. Despite continued emigration to the U.S. and other locations, around 40,000 Jews returned to settle in Israel[4]. The same patterns observed in previous migrations are evident: the Jews were compelled to emigrate, and most remained reluctant to return. By 1923, the Jewish population in Palestine was approximately 84,000[5], while the global Jewish population was about 14,400,000[6], with Jews in Israel constituting approximately 0.6% of the global Jewish population. The decline in the Jewish population in Palestine during this period was due to the effects of World War I (1914-1918).

The fourth migration of Jews occurred between 1924 and 1928, driven by an economic crisis and anti-Jewish policies in Poland, along with stringent U.S. immigration quotas. Consequently, approximately 82,000 Jews returned to settle in Israel[7]. The same observations from previous migrations apply: the Jews were forced to emigrate, and most remained reluctant to return. By 1928, the total Jewish population in Palestine was approximately 174,000[8], and the global Jewish population was around 15,700,000[9], with Jews in Israel accounting for approximately 1.1% of the global Jewish population.

The fifth migration of Jews took place between 1932 and 1939, primarily due to the Nazi rise to power in Germany and worsening conditions across Europe. This led to increased emigration from Germany and continued migration from Eastern Europe. Over this period, approximately 250,000 Jews returned to settle in Israel[10]. The same observations apply: Jews were compelled to emigrate, and the majority remained reluctant to return to Israel. By 1939, the total Jewish population in Palestine was approximately 449,000[11], while the global Jewish population was around 16,700,000[12], with Jews in Israel making up approximately 2.7% of the global Jewish population.

The sixth migration of Jews occurred between 1939 and 1948, driven by continued Nazi persecution in Europe and the aftermath of World War II. During this period, the British government controlled Palestine and imposed immigration quotas. Approximately 110,000 Jews returned to settle in Israel[13]. The same observations apply: Jews were compelled to emigrate, and most remained reluctant to return. By 1948, the total Jewish population in Palestine was approximately 716,000[14], while the global Jewish population was about 11,500,000[15], with Jews in Israel accounting for approximately 6.2% of the global Jewish population. The global decline in the Jewish population was due to the Holocaust, in which approximately 6,000,000 Jews were murdered[16].

The seventh migration of Jews took place between 1948 and 1960, following the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948. This led to a major wave of Jewish immigration from post-Holocaust Europe and persecution in the Arab and Muslim world, which spurred emigration from those regions. Over this period, approximately 928,000 Jews returned to settle in Israel[17]. The same observations are valid: Jews were compelled to emigrate, and most remained reluctant to return. By 1960, the total Jewish population in Israel was approximately 1,900,000[18], while the global Jewish population was around 12,000,000[19], with Jews in Israel accounting for approximately 15.8% of the global Jewish population.

The eighth migration of Jews occurred between 1960 and 1990, driven by the opening of the USSR and continued persecution in the Arab and Muslim world. Of the approximately 300,000 Jews who left the USSR, just over half moved to Israel. Approximately 720,000 Jews returned to settle in Israel during this period[20]. The same observations apply: most Jews were compelled to emigrate, and the majority remained reluctant to return to Israel. By 1990, the total Jewish population in Israel was approximately 3,900,000[21], while the global Jewish population was around 12,900,000[22], with Jews in Israel constituting approximately 30.2% of the global Jewish population.

The ninth migration of Jews has been ongoing since 1990 and continues to this day. The main catalyst for this migration has been the collapse of the USSR in 1991, leading to approximately 1,000,000 Jews immigrating to Israel. Over this period, approximately 2,000,000 Jews in total have returned to settle in Israel[23]. However, the same observations from previous migrations are valid: unless they experience persecution, the majority of Jews remain reluctant to return to Israel. As of the time of writing this series, the total Jewish population in Israel is approximately 7,200,000[24], while the global Jewish population is about 16,800,000[25], with Jews in Israel accounting for approximately 43% of the global Jewish population. And so we see that over the past approximately 140 years, the Lord has returned just under half of the Jewish population to the land of their inheritance, meaning that approximately 57% of the global Jewish population remains among the Diaspora.

As an aside, in the previous section we have seen that Israel’s borders are very close to being fully restored, and so even though the majority of the Jewish Diaspora have not yet returned, it is highly unlikely that it will take another 140 years to fulfil this particular prophetic event.

Michael E.B. Maher

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Zionism

[2] https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jewish-and-non-jewish-population-of-israel-palestine-1517-present

[3] https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jewish-population-of-the-world

[4] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Zionism

[5] https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jewish-and-non-jewish-population-of-israel-palestine-1517-present

[6] https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jewish-population-of-the-world

[7] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Zionism

[8] https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jewish-and-non-jewish-population-of-israel-palestine-1517-present

[9] https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jewish-population-of-the-world

[10] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Zionism

[11] https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jewish-and-non-jewish-population-of-israel-palestine-1517-present