Immigrant camps (Israel)
Encyclopedia
The Immigrant camps in Israel ( Mahanot Olim) were temporary refugee absorption camps
, meant to provide accommodation for the large influx of Jewish refugees and new Olim
(Jewish immigrants) arriving to Mandatory Palestine and later the independent State of Israel, since early 1947. The tent camps first accomodated Holocaust survivors from Europe, and later largely Jewish refugees
from Middle East and North Africa. By early 1950, immigrant camps were converted into Transition Camps
, where living conditions became better and tin dwellings replaced tents.
Through 1947 about 750 immigrants per month arrived in Mandatory Palestine in accordance with the agreement and were detained within Atlit detainee camp
. Due to the harsh conditions in Atlit camp, many immigrants were transferred to Kiryat Shmuel Immigrant Camp in Haifa, which as well was a detention camp under British jurisdiction, but it was agreed that its guards would be Jewish policemen of the Mandatory police, rather than British. The Jewish agency was responsible to the internal management of the camps in Atlit and Kiryat Shmuel, while medical services were provided there by Hadassa organization. The Kiryat Shmuel camp is considered to be the first actial immigrant camp, having a capacity of 700 persons.
In the first half of 1947 another immigrant camp, named Newe Haim, was established near Hadera
, providing housing for those released from Atlit detention camp and from Kiryat Shmuel camp. The average staying period of immigrants in Newe Haim at that time was about 3 weeks.
With increasing chances for immigration of 100,000 of the Holocaust survivors
, the Jewish Agency prepared thousands of appartments within cities and villages, and in addition ten immigrant camps, among them the immigrant camp near Kfar Azar
, with capacity of 200 persons. However, by late 1947 most of the newly prepared immigrant camps remained empty, with largest concentrations of arriving immigrants staying in Atlit detention camp (housing 1,400 immigrants in November), and in immigrant camps of Kiryat Shmuel and near Hadera.
Following the UN partition plan on late November, the Jewish immigrant flow increased and they were accomodated in new locations, established over former military camps, evacuated by the British. At this stage the Pardes Hana immigrant camp was established as well as immigrant camps next to Ra'anana
, Bet Lid, Benyamina and Rosh Ha'ain. Later more camps were established in Be'er Ya'acov, Kiryat Eliyahu (Haifa), Kiryat Motzkin, Rehovot and Jerusalem. Those camps housed immigrants, who could not find better arangements or receive assistance from relatives.
At the end of 1949 there had been 90,000 Jews housed in immigration camps; by the end of 1951 this population rose to over 220,000 people, in about 125 separate communities. The sudden arrival of over 130,000 Iraqi Jews in Israel in the early 1950s meant that almost a third of immigrant camp dwellers by that time was of Iraqi Jewish origin. In addition to the Iraqi Jews, large numbers of Libyan and Yemenite Jews reshaped the immigrant camps into largely Sephardic and Mizrachi communities.
. The first transition camp was created on May 1950 in Jerusalem, and within two years the converted transition camps housed over 220,000 people. Most of ma'abarot
residents were housed in temporary tin dwellings. Over 80% of the transition camp residents were Jewish refugees from across Arab and Muslim countries in Middle East
and North Africa
.
Over time, the Ma'abarot metamorphosed into Israeli towns, or were absorbed as neighbourhoods of the towns they were attached to, and residents were provided with permanent housing. The number of people housed in camps began to decline after 1952, and the last Ma'abarot were closed sometime around 1963. Most of the transition camps tranformed into Development Town
s - "Ayarat Pitu'ach". Ma'abarot, which became towns, include Kiryat Shmona
, Sderot
, Beit She'an, Yokneam, Or Yehuda
and Migdal HaEmek.
Refugee camp
A refugee camp is a temporary settlement built to receive refugees. Hundreds of thousands of people may live in any one single camp. Usually they are built and run by a government, the United Nations, or international organizations, or NGOs.Refugee camps are generally set up in an impromptu...
, meant to provide accommodation for the large influx of Jewish refugees and new Olim
Aliyah
Aliyah is the immigration of Jews to the Land of Israel . It is a basic tenet of Zionist ideology. The opposite action, emigration from Israel, is referred to as yerida . The return to the Holy Land has been a Jewish aspiration since the Babylonian exile...
(Jewish immigrants) arriving to Mandatory Palestine and later the independent State of Israel, since early 1947. The tent camps first accomodated Holocaust survivors from Europe, and later largely Jewish refugees
Jewish refugees
In the course of history, Jewish populations have been expelled or ostracised by various local authorities and have sought asylum from antisemitism numerous times...
from Middle East and North Africa. By early 1950, immigrant camps were converted into Transition Camps
Ma'abarot
The Ma'abarot were refugee absorption camps in Israel in the 1950s. The Ma'abarot were meant to provide accommodation for the large influx of Jewish refugees and new Olim arriving to the newly independent State of Israel, replacing the less habitable immigrant camps or tent cities...
, where living conditions became better and tin dwellings replaced tents.
Establishment
In early 1947, the Jewish Agency reached an agreement with the British authorities, according to which the Jewish immigrants will arrive to the Land of Israel on the basis of monthly or quaterly certificates, and stay under British arrest. It was agreed that upon being provided with an appropriate certificate by a donor, immigrants would be released from detention camps.Through 1947 about 750 immigrants per month arrived in Mandatory Palestine in accordance with the agreement and were detained within Atlit detainee camp
Atlit detainee camp
The Atlit detainee camp was a detention camp established by the British at the end of the 1930s on what is now Israel's northern coast south of Haifa. The camp was established to prevent Jewish refugees, mainly Holocaust survivors, from entering then-Palestine...
. Due to the harsh conditions in Atlit camp, many immigrants were transferred to Kiryat Shmuel Immigrant Camp in Haifa, which as well was a detention camp under British jurisdiction, but it was agreed that its guards would be Jewish policemen of the Mandatory police, rather than British. The Jewish agency was responsible to the internal management of the camps in Atlit and Kiryat Shmuel, while medical services were provided there by Hadassa organization. The Kiryat Shmuel camp is considered to be the first actial immigrant camp, having a capacity of 700 persons.
In the first half of 1947 another immigrant camp, named Newe Haim, was established near Hadera
Hadera
Hadera is a city located in the Haifa District of Israel approximately from the major cities of Tel Aviv and Haifa. The city is located along of the Israeli Mediterranean Coastal Plain...
, providing housing for those released from Atlit detention camp and from Kiryat Shmuel camp. The average staying period of immigrants in Newe Haim at that time was about 3 weeks.
With increasing chances for immigration of 100,000 of the Holocaust survivors
Sh'erit ha-Pletah
Sh'erit ha-Pletah is a biblical term used by Jewish survivors of the Nazi Holocaust to refer to themselves and the communities they formed following their liberation in the spring of 1945....
, the Jewish Agency prepared thousands of appartments within cities and villages, and in addition ten immigrant camps, among them the immigrant camp near Kfar Azar
Kfar Azar
Kfar Azar is a moshav ovdim located in the Ono Valley in central Israel. Previously part of Ef'al Regional Council, in 2007 it was transferred to the municipality of Ramat Gan together with Ramat Ef'al. With an area of around , its population is around 500....
, with capacity of 200 persons. However, by late 1947 most of the newly prepared immigrant camps remained empty, with largest concentrations of arriving immigrants staying in Atlit detention camp (housing 1,400 immigrants in November), and in immigrant camps of Kiryat Shmuel and near Hadera.
Following the UN partition plan on late November, the Jewish immigrant flow increased and they were accomodated in new locations, established over former military camps, evacuated by the British. At this stage the Pardes Hana immigrant camp was established as well as immigrant camps next to Ra'anana
Ra'anana
Ra'anana is a city in the heart of the southern Sharon Plain of the Central District of Israel with a population of 68,300, . Ra'anana is bordered by Kfar Sava on the east and Herzliya on the southwest...
, Bet Lid, Benyamina and Rosh Ha'ain. Later more camps were established in Be'er Ya'acov, Kiryat Eliyahu (Haifa), Kiryat Motzkin, Rehovot and Jerusalem. Those camps housed immigrants, who could not find better arangements or receive assistance from relatives.
Increasing influx
By the end of 1948 there were 20 immigrant camps across Israel, housing 35,000 immigrants, while the capacity was standing at about 50,000. The time period, spent by immigrants in immigration camps turned longer and longer over time, reaching more than one month.At the end of 1949 there had been 90,000 Jews housed in immigration camps; by the end of 1951 this population rose to over 220,000 people, in about 125 separate communities. The sudden arrival of over 130,000 Iraqi Jews in Israel in the early 1950s meant that almost a third of immigrant camp dwellers by that time was of Iraqi Jewish origin. In addition to the Iraqi Jews, large numbers of Libyan and Yemenite Jews reshaped the immigrant camps into largely Sephardic and Mizrachi communities.
Convertion of immigrant camps into transition camps
The tent cities provided a harsh environment for the refugees and immigrants. As a result, more habitable housing had been provided to replace the tents, and the camps were converted into "transition camps", or ma'abarotMa'abarot
The Ma'abarot were refugee absorption camps in Israel in the 1950s. The Ma'abarot were meant to provide accommodation for the large influx of Jewish refugees and new Olim arriving to the newly independent State of Israel, replacing the less habitable immigrant camps or tent cities...
. The first transition camp was created on May 1950 in Jerusalem, and within two years the converted transition camps housed over 220,000 people. Most of ma'abarot
Ma'abarot
The Ma'abarot were refugee absorption camps in Israel in the 1950s. The Ma'abarot were meant to provide accommodation for the large influx of Jewish refugees and new Olim arriving to the newly independent State of Israel, replacing the less habitable immigrant camps or tent cities...
residents were housed in temporary tin dwellings. Over 80% of the transition camp residents were Jewish refugees from across Arab and Muslim countries in Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
and North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
.
Over time, the Ma'abarot metamorphosed into Israeli towns, or were absorbed as neighbourhoods of the towns they were attached to, and residents were provided with permanent housing. The number of people housed in camps began to decline after 1952, and the last Ma'abarot were closed sometime around 1963. Most of the transition camps tranformed into Development Town
Development town
Development town is a term used to refer to the new settlements that were built in Israel during the 1950s in order to provide permanent housing to a large influx of Jewish refugees from Arab countries, Holocaust survivors from Europe and new immigrants , who arrived to the newly established State...
s - "Ayarat Pitu'ach". Ma'abarot, which became towns, include Kiryat Shmona
Kiryat Shmona
Kiryat Shmona is a city located in the North District of Israel on the western slopes of the Hula Valley on the Lebanese border. The city was named for the eight people, including Joseph Trumpeldor, who died in 1920 defending Tel Hai....
, Sderot
Sderot
Sderot is a western Negev city in the Southern District of Israel. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , at the end of 2009 the city had a total population of 20,700. The city has been an ongoing target of Qassam rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip...
, Beit She'an, Yokneam, Or Yehuda
Or Yehuda
Or Yehuda is a city in the Tel Aviv District in Israel. According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics , the city had a population of 32,200 at the end of 2007.-History:Or Yehuda is located where the biblical city of Kefar Ono used to stand....
and Migdal HaEmek.