 Immigrant Registers (S104)The CZA holds a copy of the Immigrant Registers to Palestine/Israel, from 1919-1968. These were previously held at the Jewish Agency’s Relatives Search Bureau.
The 186 registers record in chronological manner the names (in Hebrew) of those arriving in Palestine/Israel by ship, plane and even by foot (over the northern and southern borders). The passengers of each ship or plane are recorded. The information provided varies, but includes in most cases, the name of the arrivee, his/her age and his/her origin.
The registers also include lists of people who arrived as tourists or returning residents, and includes a category called “non-Jews” or “Christians”. The registers include sometimes illegal immigrants, and some lists of children who arrived within the framework of Youth Aliyah.
The registers at the CZA are not complete. In particular, many of the registers from the years 1951-1956 are lacking. There is another set of immigrant registers at the Israel State Archives in Jerusalem which covers the years from 1951-1956 and the years 1968-1974.
Access restrictions
The contents of the registers are open to the general public.
Use of the registers at the CZA
In order to preserve the original copies, the actual registers are not available to the public for research. Requests for information may be sent by mail, fax or email.
Remote use of the registers:
The CZA will be happy to check the registers for you. Please note that we can only do this if we are provided with the date of arrival (at least month and year) of the immigrant, tourist or returning resident. Requests for information may be sent by mail, fax or email.
Database of statistical cards of the Immigration Department (1919-1932) (SC6)
The CZA holds a card catalogue (in Hebrew) of about 30,000 cards of immigrants to Palestine/Israel in the years 1919-1948. The cards were apparently created in order to supply the Jewish Agency’s Immigration Department with statistical data on immigrants to Palestine/Israel.
The cards relating to the years 1919-1932 have been keyed into a database. As there is no alphabetical – or other – order within each letter, the cards from 1933 onwards are to all intents and purposes inaccessible
Access restrictions
In general, the contents of the database and cards are open to the public. In special cases, the CZA reserves the right not to make the contents of specific cards open to the public, should the contents in its opinion contain information of a sensitive nature. In that case, family members wanting to gain access to such content, should proceed as outlined in General information. |
Card catalogue and personal files of candidates for immigration and immigrants (SP6)
Card catalogue:
The CZA holds about 200 drawers containing over 650,000 alphabetically arranged cards (in Hebrew) of immigration candidates and immigrants to Palestine/Israel, covering the years 1920 – 1964. The catalogue was created as thousands of people living in Palestine/Israel approached the Jewish Agency and requested that their relatives or aquaintances be allowed to immigrate to Palestine/Israel. The candidates may have moved to Palestine/Israel or not.
The catalogue is arranged according to the name of the person for whom the request is being made. Each card may contain the name of the person for whom the request is being made, his/her country of origin, age/birth date and names of other family members, and the name and address of the person making the request. The information is hand-written in Hebrew.
Here is a scanned image of a typical card.
In 2002, the CZA started creating a database of the information in these cards. The first four letters (Alef, Bet, Gimel and some of Daleth) have been keyed in so far.
Personal files:
In addition each card often contains a reference to the personal file (in Hebrew) accompanying the card. The files are also held at the CZA. Their contents vary greatly. Often there is no other document in the file other than the original request. Other times there is an exchange of documents about the immigration candidate. And occasionally the file containing correspondence about the candidate’s possible immigration continued to be used by the Jewish Agency officials to hold documents regarding the person’s actual immigration.
Access restrictions:
In general, the contents of the cards are open to the public. In special cases, the CZA reserves the right not to make the contents of specific cards open to the public, should the contents in its opinion contain information of a sensitive nature. Family members wanting to gain access to such content, should proceed as outlined in General information.
The contents of personal files where the last document in the file was created less than 70 years ago are not open to the public. Once again, family members wanting to gain access to such content, should proceed as outlined in General information.
Use of the card catalogue and personal files at the CZA
The card catalogue and accompanying files are not available to the public for research. Requests for information may be sent by mail, fax or email.
Remote use of the card catalogue and personal files
The CZA will be happy to check the card catalogue and personal files for you. Requests for information may be sent by mail, fax or email. |