in Palestine, to acquire a community of Jews for the island of Cyprus (Heyd, pp. 114-115). He did not appear to be successful.
In the sixteenth century what is known as Russia today did not exist. The Tsars were just beginning to consolidate their landholdings and form their empire. Russia was beginning her drive overland to reach the Black Sea and the Caspian Seas. Russia was expanding east through Siberia to reach the Pacific Ocean. The greatest concentration of Jews were found in the area where Poland and the Ukraine meet. During the sixteenth century this land was Polish and Lithuanian. It was controlled by the local nobility and each locality maintained a separate set of rules under which the local Jewish population was forced to live. This landmass did not have easily defensible borders and was soon cut to pieces by its neighbors, Austria, Prussia, and Russia (Edwards, 1988, p. 114). Many of the expelled Jews were enticed to settle these lands through the giving of grants, and privileges.
The Jews which lived in the city of Safed in the Ottoman Empire enjoyed many benefits. The Turks did not believe in oppressing the populations of Jews and Christians in their lands. Consequ
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