Aliya

/ɑˈliːə/ noun

Definition

The immigration of Jews to Israel; the act of going up or ascending to the promised land.

Etymology

From Hebrew 'aliyah' meaning 'going up' or 'ascent,' combining 'alah' (to ascend). The term gained prominence in Zionist movement of the late 19th-20th centuries.

Kelly Says

In Hebrew, 'aliya' literally means 'going up,' and it's used for immigrating to Israel because Jews viewed the land as spiritually elevated—so moving there is 'ascending' rather than just moving.

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