The year 1929 began with signs of economical revival, which stimulated a new influx of immigrants known as the Fifth Aliyah. During the period of the Fifth Aliyah, which continued until the outbreak of the Second World War, more than a quarter of a million immigrants arrived from all parts of Europe, including Western and Central Europe.
Primary Motivations
The Fifth Aliyah began in 1929 with small numbers of immigrants who chose to immigrate for nationalistic reasons. However, beginning with the rise of Hitler in 1933, greater numbers began to immigrate. Between 1933 and 1936 more than 160,000 immigrants arrived legally. Thousands more, unable to immigrate legally due to British restrictions, arrived clandestinely.
The Immigrants
The majority of the Fifth Aliyah immigrants settled in the cities, mainly in Tel Aviv, stimulating further urban development. There were large numbers of academics, doctors, and other professionals, as well as musicians who founded the Philharmonic Orchestra. A small number chose agricultural settlement and founded new moshavim and kibbutzim.
Main Enterprises
There is no question that along with the contributions of the immigrants of the Fifth Aliyah in stimulating urban development, the establishment of new agricultural settlements, and their contributions to the professions, the Fifth Aliyah also helped to significantly increase the size of the Jewish population, bringing it to 475,000 persons and 40% of the total number of inhabitants on the eve of the Second World War.