Proposed Jewish Settlements and Local Creation Myths

Create a free account to investigate and connect events.

Date: 2026-02-02

August 7, 1903 - Uganda Scheme

Proposed at the 6th Zionist Congress by British officials as a refuge for Jews fleeing pogroms in Eastern Europe. Local Baganda and other peoples have myths where God (Katonda) created humans, with sacred hills, rivers, and forests important spiritually.

Late 19th Century - Jewish Colonization Association

Baron Maurice de Hirsch founded the Jewish Colonization Association, creating agricultural colonies in Argentina. Indigenous groups like the Mapuche and Guaraní linked mountains and sky beings to the creation of humans and animals.

Early 20th Century - Cyprus Proposal

Occasionally suggested as a refuge due to proximity to Palestine. Greek and Cypriot mythology centers on the birth of Aphrodite from the sea foam, with no universal "origin of life" site.

Late 1930s - Madagascar Plan

Nazi Germany proposed relocating European Jews to Madagascar. Malagasy beliefs describe humans created by the supreme being Zanahary, often emerging from sacred rivers, forests, or hills.

1938 - Venezuela Highlands Proposal

Suggested by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt as a possible refuge for Jewish refugees in highland regions. The Pemón people regard Mount Roraima as sacred, central to ancestral spirits, and connected to the origins of the world in their cosmology.

Early 20th Century - Speculative Proposals in Australia

Occasionally suggested in speculative planning. Aboriginal Dreamtime stories explain the creation of humans and the land, with sacred sites such as Uluru central to their cosmology.

Colonial Era - British Caribbean

Some colonial planners suggested Caribbean islands for Jewish refugees. Indigenous Arawak and Carib myths describe humans emerging from primordial waters or islands, with rivers and land seen as sacred.

20th Century - Siberia

Speculative Soviet-era proposals discussed relocating Jews to remote Siberian regions. Indigenous peoples like the Yakuts and Evenks have folklore linking life to sacred mountains, lakes, or cosmic eggs.