Motivation for MigrationThe main reason Jews migrated was the condition of their homeland. Adolf Hitler came to power in 1933 and started blaming the Jews for all of the hardships Germany has been having. The Nazi Party deprived Jews of their citizenship, seized Jewish businesses, and destroyed synagogues. Many Jews fled Germany, but some were trapped because no other country would admit them. An event called the Holocaust was the main reason Jews fled.The Holocaust was the period between 1933 and 1945. Millions of Jews were under German control at this time. Jews were either murdered or put into a concentration camp. If Jews were put into a concentration camp, they were first separated then the older and "unwanted" Jews were sent directly to gas chambers. During the Holocaust, about 6 million European Jews were killed; two out of every three did not survive.
Dachau concentration camp
After the Holocaust many Jews had nowhere to go. Their homes were either destroyed or their entire family had been killed. The majority of Jews went to Palistine, the Biblical Jewish homeland, but some came to the United States to start a new life.Lefkovitz, Elliot B. "Jews." World Book Advanced. World Book, 2010. Web. 30 Aug. 2010. Berenbaum, Michael. "Holocaust." World Book Advanced. World Book, 2010. Web. 30 Aug. 2010. When the Allies traveled through Europe in 1944 and 1945, they found millions of "displaced persons" who were in countries that were not their own. Most of these people were Jews. When they finally returned to their homeland, most found that there was nothing to return to. A lot of Jews found their homes destroyed and their families dead.Even before the Holocaust the Jews were mistreated. Early Christians persecuted Jews because they stayed committed to their own beliefs and traditions and would not convert to Christianity. Martin Luther made serious attacks against these people for not adopting his new religious beliefs. Berenbaum, Michael. "Holocaust." World Book Student. World Book, 2010. Web. 25 Aug. 2010
In 1492, Christian rulers defeated the last Muslim forces in Spain. That same year, Spanish Jews who would not convert to Christianity were driven from the country. Some Spanish Jews, called conversos or Marranos, continued to practice Judaism in secret. Most Sephardim, came from the name Sepharad, a Biblical name that was later used to refer to Spain, who left and eventually made their way to other Mediterranean countries, the Ottoman Empire, Amsterdam, and the Americas. Today, Sephardim live in multiple parts of the world, particular in Israel and the United States.
Trachtenberg, Barry. "Sephardim." World Book Advanced. World Book, 2010. Web. 1 Sept. 2010.
Berenbaum, Michael. "Holocaust." World Book Student. World Book, 2010. Web. 25 Aug. 2010
In 1492, Christian rulers defeated the last Muslim forces in Spain. That same year, Spanish Jews who would not convert to Christianity were driven from the country. Some Spanish Jews, called conversos or Marranos, continued to practice Judaism in secret. Most Sephardim, came from the name Sepharad, a Biblical name that was later used to refer to Spain, who left and eventually made their way to other Mediterranean countries, the Ottoman Empire, Amsterdam, and the Americas. Today, Sephardim live in multiple parts of the world, particular in Israel and the United States.
Trachtenberg, Barry. "Sephardim." World Book Advanced. World Book, 2010. Web. 1 Sept. 2010.