Yemeni Jewish Migration to East Africa and to Palestine during the Ottoman era (1880s-1918) Jews lived in Yemen continuously since pre-Islamic time. However, a migration trend, which began in late 19th century -- a few years following the Ottoman occupation in 1872 -- led to the gradual diminishing of this community. This paper argues that Jewish migration from Yemen during the Ottoman era resulted from various social disruptions, political, societal and economic— that promoted Jewish—as well as Muslim—emigration. The penetration of the great powers into the Red Sea basin—Great Britain in Aden in 1839, the Ottoman Empire in Yemen in 1872 and Italy in Eritrea and Ethiopia in 1885—is presented as a major factor leading to the aforementioned disruptions. Consequently, Yemen became connected to the global economy, thus undermining the traditional Yemeni Jewish economy, which was based on handicrafts and cottage industry. Jews lost their livelihood also as a result of the revolts against the foreign occupiers and various ecological disasters. Many of these Jews were pushed to immigrate to Aden, East Africa, Egypt or India. At the same time, the Ottoman occupation of Yemen meant that its citizens could travel freely within a huge empire, ensued a large-scale immigration to Palestine. The analysis indicates that at least up to the establishment of Israel in 1948 Jewish emigration from Yemen was unrelated to the Zionist movement, its emissaries or its institutions, but rather was the result of traditional and religious attachment to the Holy Land among the Yemeni Jews.