The Ransom of the Jews: The Story of Extraordinary Secret Bargain Between Romania and Israel

After 1948, the 370,000 surviving Jews of Romania became one of the main sources of immigration for the new state of Israel. Behind Romania's decision to allow its Jews to leave were practical economic and political reasons: Israel paid for them, and Romania wanted influence in the Middle East. The trade satisfied both states and is still considered a highly confidential matter. In The Ransom of the Jews, Radu Ioanid of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum traces the intriguing story of this secret exchange.