aliyah

noun

ali·​yah ä-ˈlē-(ˌ)yä How to pronounce aliyah (audio)
ˌä-lē-ˈyä
variants or aliya
: the immigration of Jews to Israel

Examples of aliyah in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Law of Return, Israeli law, passed by the Knesset (parliament) in July 1950, that grants Jews the right to immigrate (or make aliyah) to the country and receive Israeli citizenship. Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Apr. 2026 Ofir Sofer, Israel’s minister of aliyah and integration, also responded dismissively to the idea that British Jews should leave for the United States. Shira Li Bartov, Sun Sentinel, 20 Jan. 2026 Kozlov is a recent immigrant to Israel, having made aliyah by himself, without his family, about a year and a half ago. Michael Dorgan, Fox News, 8 June 2024 Their attachment to the land is at least as strong as that of Jews who made aliyah in the past century. Rich Lowry, National Review, 29 Oct. 2023 See All Example Sentences for aliyah

Word History

Etymology

Modern Hebrew ʽalīyāh, from Hebrew, ascent

First Known Use

1851, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of aliyah was in 1851

Cite this Entry

“Aliyah.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aliyah. Accessed 5 May. 2026.

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