On March 27, 2024 Esther Saltiel-Ragot, Irving G. and Eleanor D. Tragen Chair in Comparative Law at EHESS Paris delivered a presentation on the migration of Greek Jews to British Mandatory Palestine between 1920 and 1939. Lecture sponsors included the Modern Greek & Hellenic Studies Program, the Institute of European Studies, the France-Berkeley Fund, and INALCO (Institut National de Langues et Civilisations Orientales). Introduced by Andreas Guidi and Christine Philiou, the discussion shed light on a relatively underexplored aspect of Jewish migration history, emphasizing the struggle against British immigration quotas and the lack of priority given to Greek Jews by the Jewish Agency.
Saltiel-Ragot illustrated the administrative hurdles and the strategic navigation undertaken by Zionist organizations in Salonika to facilitate this migration, despite restrictive policies. She utilized migration charts to dissect the three main waves of migration, offering insights into the migrants’ socio-professional backgrounds—primarily manual workers, tradesmen, and shopkeepers, with a notable demographic shift towards younger, single individuals by 1933.
A portion of the presentation focused on gender-specific issues, particularly the challenges faced by young single women migrants and the innovative strategies they employed to meet the British moral criteria for entry. The discussion also touched upon the lengths individuals went to secure visas, including deceit and the impact of legislation designed to marginalize Jewish professionals.
This lecture not only highlighted the complexities of Greek Jewish migration to British Mandatory Palestine but also contributed to a deeper understanding of the broader patterns of Jewish diaspora movements during the interwar period.