In the year 605 BC, Babylonian soldiers entered the land of Israel to crush an attempted rebellion against foreign occupation by Jehoiachin king of Judah. Jerusalem was besieged and Jehoiachin, together with 10,000 men from the leading familes of Judah, were taken captive to Babylon.

Nebuchadnezzar permitted Jehoiachin’s uncle, who renamed himself Zedekiah, to reign under his patronage. When, in 587, Zedekiah moved in rebellion against his Babylonian masters, Nebuchadnezzar returned in force and laid siege to Jerusalem, this time sacking and burning down the Temple, and removing virtually all the surviving Jews to Babylon, where they joined those who had gone into exile before.

This dark day in Israel’s history was foretold by Moses centuries before, according to which God would pluck the people of Israel out of their homeland and drive them into captivity because of their sinfulness against Him.

Seventy years were to pass before the sons and daughters of these captives were allowed to return to their Promised Land. Circumstances and events experienced by this first Jewish diaspora were to be mirrored in the second dispersion, which was far wider, and lasted nearly 2000 years.

These pages will highlight some of the similarities we believe remain relevant and significant to today.