How to play Aliyah The Game
This is an adult learning game based on historical facts through the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries and the return of the Jews to their biblical homeland. It is designed for those over the age of 14, for 2 to 4 players. Through this fun secret agent style game you’ll learn some truths about the Individuals and Agencies that made Aliyah possible for the dispersed persecuted Jewish communities around the world during these times.
The aim of the game
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THE BRIEFING
As a Special Agent you must complete your Operations (Diaspora cards) by travelling to Jerusalem at the centre of the board using 3 Zion Stones to place the OP card there. Agents must do this before the playing card main deck runs out during play (see code book). Average playing time is 1.5 hrs.
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THE AGENCIES
There are four main agencies in this game which played a large role in helping immigrants escape and travel to the land mandated for the new state of Israel. These are Shabak, Betar, Mossad and Irgun.
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Players select their agency and place on the board by throwing the dice with the highest choosing first.
OPERATIONS (OPS)
At the core of this game are the Operations (OPs) which are on the 48 Diaspora cards which represent actual operations that were carried out across all periods of the Aliyah. They list the country, the date, the name of the OP and the numbers of OLIM that were helped to return to the land from that nation.
BEFORE YOU START
Before the game begins shuffle the cards and then deal each player 4 Diaspora cards face down onto the agency base spaces (see above) with only the 4th Diaspora Card turned face-up to reveal the first OP that needs to be carried out by the Agents.
When that OP is completed (see ZION STONES) another Diaspora card on the agency base stack can be turned face-up until all OPs are completed to win the game (see How to Win the Game).
However, during play you may well be given extra Diaspora cards and OPs to carry out and these cards go to the bottom of the agent's operations stack.
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Now deal each Agent 3 playing cards face-down. Agents should check these and keep them secret until used (see also Playing Card Uses).
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Place both card decks nearby but off the board.
TRANSPORT TO JERUSALEM
How to travel to Jerusalem
On each of the Operation details are the travel symbols (as above) indicating the ways agents can access the inner circle for that particular Operation, in order to then place that Diaspora card onto Jerusalem to complete that Operation.
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The outer circle travel symbols are linked to the inner circle ones by an arrowed trail (see below) except the Plane symbol which enables agents to FLY straight to Ben Gurion airport in the inner circle.
Agents need to have the exact dice throw (or Playing Card) in order to move onto any travel symbol in the outer circle. On the next moves agents can then travel along that trail according to the dice throw to arrive in Israel (see also Code Book, black 9)
FIRST MOVES
The first agent begins play from their colour STAR SPACE adjoining their agency by throwing the dice once.
Move in an anti-clockwise direction towards one of the travel options listed on that Diaspora Operation card.
NEXT – Depending on your score you will move onto different board spaces which affect movements and important resources.
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When agents move onto a Compass symbol they must check their playing cards against the code book to see any benefits.
Login to this site (above) to see the details of the spaces and secret Code Book and how it works in the game.
ZION STONES and Jerusalem
To complete each Operation and place their Diaspora card onto Jerusalem an agent needs to have collected three white Zion Stones to access Jerusalem and be in the inner circle area of the board.
Collect a Zion Stone when moving onto the ZION GATE space or using a combination of playing cards (see below).
An agent may enter the inner circle without having any Zion Stones and try to collect them once there. If entering with 3 Zion stones already, from previous outer circle moves, the Operation is instantly completed.
NEXT – The Zion Stones must be returned to the bag and the player piece returns to their start star position (see Code Book page exception to stay in the inner circle)
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With the 3 Zion Stones placed back in the bag the successful the agent places the completed diaspora operation card on Jerusalem and returns to their Star Start position to start the next Operation. (see Red 10 Code Book page 7).
SECRET DOCUMENT EXCHANGE
An agent can decide to try and collect playing card sets to gain extra Zion Stones when they need them or even complete an Operation instantly. Only these card sets (shown in the Code Book page 7) apply.
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An Agent can only declare these playing card sets when they next move onto the COMPASS symbol.
WHEN AGENTS MEET
On occasion agents may well meet on the board. The moving agent displaces the other agent and causes them to go back to their start star. They can also take all their Zion Stones (unless they have a red 7 playing card in defence see Code Book p3).
Collaboration
When a 2 player game each player can decide to use two Agent agencies each and work in tandem to achieve Diaspora Operations quicker.
Double-Agents
During a game it might prove strategic to help another agent achieve their operation or escape from Jail etc. When on the COMPASS space any player can offer a relevant playing card or an Ali-Facts card (see Code Book) to another agent.
How to win the game - the end of OPs
The first agent to complete all Operations (Diaspora cards) from their agency base (before the main deck of playing cards finishes) wins the game.
If the deck of playing cards finish before anyone completes their stack of OPs the agent with fewest immigrants listed on remaining Diaspora cards can claim victory or players can turn over the playing card pack to continue the game!