From 1831 to 1840 , Syria fell under the rule of the Egyptian viceroi Muhammad Ali of Egypt and his son Ibrahim Pasha , who effectively extended the Egyptian domination to Damascus , driving the Ottomans north . Throughout the period a series of events greatly disturbed the demographic composition of the country , being the stage for the 1834 Syrian Peasant revolts and the 1838 Druze Revolt , which caused a great impact upon the Old Yishuv . The greatest damage in lives and property was extended upon the Jewish communities of Safed and Hebron . In addition , the Galilee earthquake of 1837 destroyed Safed , killed thousands of its residents , and contributed to the reconstitution of Jerusalem as the main center of the Old Yishuv
Galilee earthquake of 1837
Galilee earthquake of 1837
Old Yishuv