Yehuda Alkalai (1798–1878)

Rabbi Yehuda Alkalai, who lived in Serbia, interpreted the process of the redemption of the Jewish people as an issue which was not solely a matter for God. Instead, Alkalai propounded the view in his writings that humans must prepare the way for the process of redemption. To this end, he proposed a programme which envisaged the purchase of land in Palestine and the revitalization of the Hebrew language.

Portrait of Yehuda Alkalai (1789–1878), without date, unknown artist; source: Jewish Agency for Israel.