▁came ▁from ▁the ▁Russian ▁Empire , ▁esc aping ▁the ▁frequent ▁pog rom s ▁and ▁state - led ▁per sec ution ▁in ▁what ▁are ▁now ▁Ukraine ▁and ▁Poland . ▁They ▁founded ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁agricult ural ▁settlement s ▁with ▁financial ▁support ▁from ▁Jewish ▁phil anth rop ists ▁in ▁Western ▁Europe . ▁Add itional ▁Ali y ah s ▁followed ▁the ▁Russian ▁Revolution ▁and ▁its ▁er u ption ▁of ▁violent ▁pog rom s . ▁At ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century , ▁Jews ▁were ▁a ▁small ▁minor ity ▁in ▁Palest ine . ▁ ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 8 9 0 s , ▁The odor ▁Herz l ▁inf used ▁Z ion ism ▁with ▁a ▁new ▁ide ology ▁and ▁practical ▁ur gency , ▁leading ▁to ▁the ▁First ▁Z ion ist ▁Congress ▁at ▁Bas el ▁in ▁ 1 8 9 7 , ▁which ▁created ▁the ▁World ▁Z ion ist ▁Organ ization ▁( W Z O ). ▁Herz l ' s ▁aim ▁was ▁to ▁initi ate ▁necessary ▁prepar atory ▁steps ▁for ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁a ▁Jewish ▁state . ▁Herz l ' s ▁attempts ▁to ▁reach ▁a ▁political ▁agreement ▁with ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁r ul ers ▁of ▁Palest ine ▁were ▁un success ful ▁and ▁he ▁sought ▁the ▁support ▁of ▁other ▁govern ments . ▁The ▁W Z O ▁supported ▁small - scale ▁settlement ▁in ▁Palest ine ; ▁it ▁focused ▁on ▁strength ening ▁Jewish ▁feeling ▁and ▁conscious ness ▁and ▁on ▁building ▁a ▁world wide ▁feder ation . ▁ ▁The ▁Russian ▁Empire , ▁with ▁its ▁long ▁record ▁of ▁state - organ