The huge influx of immigrants from the former Soviet Union, which began after the fall of the Soviet regime in 1990, brought one million immigrants to Israel.

Primary Motivations

Following a long period of isolation of Soviet Jewry from the State of Israel, relations were renewed with the fall of the Soviet regime in 1990, which opened up possibilities of aliyah.

The Immigrants and Their Journey 

The isolation of Soviet Jewry from the rest of the Jewish world, especially Israel, began during the 1920s with the rise of the Soviet government.  This isolation was not total, and attempts were made throughout the years to renew contacts and assist Soviet Jews, and strengthen their ties to Israel beyond the Iron Curtain.   In 1952 an organization by the name of “Netiv” was founded by the Israeli establishment. Their task was to reinforce Soviet Jewry’s tenuous ties to Israel and Judaism, often at great risk.   The Six Day War awakened Soviet Jews’ interest in Israel, and people began to request permission to make aliyah. Persons involved in Zionist activities were often subject to dismissal from their jobs, arrest, and imprisonment.   Jewish organizations and individuals throughout the world worked on behalf of the Soviet Jews and pressured the Soviets to permit aliyah.   Their activities resulted in a slow trickle of immigration between 1969-1973,  and some 150,000 Jews succeeding in making aliyah.  The massive influx only arrived, as previously stated, with the fall of the Soviet regime in 1990.