The history of Jewish presence in the land known today as Israel is long and complex, stretching back thousands of years:

Ancient Times: According to historical and biblical records, Jews have lived in the region (ancient Canaan/Israel) since at least around 1200–1000 BCE. The Kingdoms of Israel and Judah existed in this area during the Iron Age.

Destruction and Exile: Over centuries, especially after the destruction of the First Temple (586 BCE) by the Babylonians and the Second Temple (70 CE) by the Romans, many Jews were exiled or dispersed, leading to the Jewish Diaspora.

Continuous Presence: Despite exiles, a Jewish community continuously lived in the area in varying numbers through the Roman, Byzantine, Islamic, Crusader, Ottoman, and British Mandate periods.

Modern Return: The modern Zionist movement, starting in the late 19th century (around the 1880s), encouraged Jews from Europe and elsewhere to immigrate back to the land of Israel, then part of the Ottoman Empire and later the British Mandate of Palestine.

So, Jews originally settled there thousands of years ago, experienced exile and dispersal, but maintained a continuous presence. The modern return began in earnest in the late 1800s with Zionist immigration waves.