Jerusalem 1881: The Russian Pogroms That Changed the Holy City

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore a pivotal but often overlooked catalyst for Jewish immigration to Jerusalem: the wave of pogroms that swept the Russian Empire in 1881-1884. Following the assassination of Tsar Alexander II, anti-Jewish violence erupted across hundreds of towns and cities, triggering a massive exodus. We trace the journey of the first Lovers of Zion groups from Odessa to the port of Jaffa, and then to the cramped courtyards of Jerusalem's Old City. We examine the tensions between the established Old Yishuv—the traditional Jewish community living on charitable halukkah funds—and the newcomers, who sought self-sufficiency through agriculture and manual labor. The episode focuses on the founding of the first agricultural settlement outside Jerusalem, Motza, in 1882, and the role of the BILU pioneers. We also discuss the Ottoman restrictions on Jewish immigration and land purchase, and how the Russian pogroms reshaped the demographics and character of Jewish Jerusalem forever.

#Jerusalem #RussianPogroms #FirstAliyah #1881 #OldYishuv #LoversOfZion #Motza #BILU #Odessa #Jaffa #SultanAbdulhamidII #OttomanEmpire #Halukkah #AgriculturalSettlement #JewishImmigration #Zealots #History #FexingoHistory

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