Escaping the Holocaust Illegal Immigration to the Land of Israel, 1939-1944 [Hardcover]

Illegal Jewish immigration to Palestine prior to the founding of the State of Israel forms one of the most fascinating chapters in the history of Zionism and modern Jewish history. Bringing Jews from Europe to Palestine by land and by sea in defiance of restrictive British immigration policies was partly an undertaking of national rescue and partly a calculated strategy of political brinksmanship. In this compelling analysis, Ofer examines various illegal immigration and rescue efforts organized by the Palestinian Jewish community in both the beginning and latter phases of the war. Making exhaustive use of archival sources, Ofer provides invaluable insight into the struggles of the immigrants, the activists and supporters of the movement, the logistical obstacles, and the political forces working to halt or exploit the flow of refugees.

Presents the best available account of the Illegal Immigration to Palestine during the years 1939-44. --American Historical Review

A riveting history of Aliya Bet....Ofers important book chronicles this tragic moment in Jewish history and adds to our knowledge of an important but often neglected facet of the Holocaust. --Midstream

An important contribution to the understanding of the role ofAliyah Bet...and the Holocaust. This riveting book...[is] based on an exhaustive study of archival sources in Israel, England, and the US. --Choice

Ofer enriches the debate over the West's moral behavior during the Holocaust by demonstrating that it was utterly unrealistic to expect Germany to cooperate in any sizable exodus of Jews from areas under its control once the Nazis adopted the 'Final Solution' in the spring of 1942 --Middle EastJournal

An extensive bibliography, photographs, notes, and and index add to this work's merit, which is an important topic not very well known to most students of the Holocaust. --History: Reviews of NlƒF