The Exodus (1940)

The Exodus (1940) refers to an organized operation conducted by the Jewish community of Mandatory Palestine in 1940 to smuggle Jewish refugees from Nazi-occupied Europe into Palestine, circumventing British restrictions on Jewish immigration.

While smaller, clandestine operations had been ongoing for some time, 1940 saw a significant increase in efforts due to the worsening situation for Jews in Europe. The operation was facilitated by the Mossad LeAliyah Bet, an organization dedicated to illegal immigration to Palestine.

The primary method involved acquiring or chartering ships to transport refugees from various European ports to Palestine. These voyages were often fraught with danger, due to the risk of interception by the British Navy, the unseaworthiness of the vessels, and the difficult living conditions onboard.

The British authorities actively intercepted these ships and interned the refugees in detention camps in Palestine or deported them to other locations, such as Mauritius. The events surrounding these interceptions and the treatment of the refugees generated considerable international sympathy for the plight of Jewish refugees and put pressure on the British government to ease immigration restrictions. The actions of the Exodus (1940) operation helped to lay the groundwork for the larger and more widely known "Exodus 1947" incident after World War II. The name "Exodus" later became associated with the general effort of illegal immigration (Aliyah Bet) to Palestine.