Aliyah and Immigration|Modern Immigration Waves
Operation Solomon was a massive Israeli airlift operation that rescued over 14,000 Ethiopian Jews in under 36 hours during political turmoil in Ethiopia. The operation set a world record for the most passengers on a single flight and was a pivotal moment in Israel’s mission to rescue diaspora Jews.
Operation Solomon took place in May 1991 during the final days of Ethiopia’s Marxist regime. With civil war intensifying, Israel acted swiftly to evacuate over 14,000 Ethiopian Jews in under 36 hours using Israeli Air Force and El Al aircraft. The mission included a record-setting flight carrying 1,088 passengers on a single Boeing 747. Coordinated with the collapsing Ethiopian government, the operation was a remarkable logistical and humanitarian success. It brought global attention to the plight of Ethiopian Jews and remains one of Israel’s proudest aliyah missions.
