Most of the Urfalim community migrated to Ottoman Syria in December 1896 , fleeing the Hamidian massacres of Armenians , instigated by Ottoman Sultan Abdul Hamid II . The massacres marked the end of the multicultural period , which had characterized Urfa and Anatolia in general for millennia . On their way to the Land of Israel , some Urfalim settled in Aleppo , whereas most moved on , settling in Tiberias ( Beirut Vilayet ) and mostly Jerusalem ( Mutesarrifiyyet of Jerusalem ) . Some later moved from Jerusalem to Rishon LeZion to work in orchards . In 1947 , with the eruption of the Aleppo pogrom , most of the Jews of Aleppo fled the city , relocating to Israel as well
Hamidian massacres
Hamidian massacres
Urfalim