Yehuda Aryeh Leon Bibas (or Judah Bibas) (Hebrew: יהודה אריה ליאון ביבאס) (c.1789—April 6, 1852) was a Sephardic rabbi, the rabbi of Corfu and was the first of the precursors of modern Zionism.
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Early life
Bibas was born in Gibraltar to Sephardi Jews who were descendants of Jews expelled from Spain and had settled in North Africa. One of his maternal ancestors was Chaim ibn Attar. His father came from a line of Rabbis in Tétouan that emigrated to Gibraltar in 1859 after a pogrom against the Jews that followed the invasion of the city by Spain. Bibas studied as a child in Gibraltar and after the death of his father he moved to Livorno to live with his grandfather. Livorno had a very prestigious and educated Jewish community. Bibas received in Livorno most of his Jewish and secular education, including his title as a physician. He then returned to Gibraltar where he established himself as the Rosh yeshiva. His Yeshiba was attended by students from England, Italy and North Africa. In 1810 he came to London, where he met with the famous Jewish activist and philanthropist Sir Moses Montefiore. Rabbi Yehuda Bibas was fluent in English, Italian, Spanish and Hebrew, and he was a rabbi and a Physician. In 1831, Bibas was appointed as the Chief rabbi of Corfu.
Zionist Activism
By the years 1839-1840, Bibas went into a journey in Europe. While visiting many Jewish Communities, he call the Jews to make Aliyah to Palestine and settling there, one of the first Rabbis to do so. In the same year, he met with Judah Alkalai, which became his student. Bibas plan was to encourage Jews all over the world coming to Palestine, conquering the land from the Ottomans, and creating a Jewish society there. During some of his visits in London, he cooperated with Moses Montefiore in many subjects.
Aliyah and Death
By 1852, one year after his wife died, Bibas has made Aliyah to Palestine, and was welcomed by his Students in Jaffa. Later he went to Hebron were he built his big library. He died two months after his arrival to Palestine, and buried in the Old Jewish Cemetery, Hebron.