Information Issued by the Association of Jewish Refugees in Great Britain
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l/ Vol. XVI No. 2 February, 1961 INFORMATION ISSUED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF JEWISH REFUGEES IN GREAT BRITAIN i FAIRFAX MANSIONS, 0//ice mnd Contultiitg Hauri: fINCHLEY ROAD (Corner Fairlax Roadl, LONDON, N.W.3 Mondaylo Thurtday 10 a.m.—I p.m. 3—6 p.m TeUphono: MAIda Vale «096'7 IGanaral OHica) friday 10 a.m.—J p.m. MAIda Val* 4449 lEmploymant Agancy and Social Services Dept,) Robert Weltsch the meantime the Zionist workers' movement had sounded the call to emigration, and the youth of war-weary Europe had responded ZIONISM IN THE PAST AND TODAY with enthusiasm. There arose in Russia the Zeire Zion movement, in Galicia the Hashomer The Zionist Congress which has just ended in grants who had based their hopes on an Hazair, and in Palestine every conceivable Jerusalem has been a disappointment to many unspecified invitation extended in platform shade of socialist ideology, all demanding the Zionists, but it could be a stepping-stone to a speeches were disappointed on arrival. The establishment of a new order of society, at once revision of organisational forms and of prac- establishment of a new department of the Jewish national and socialist. These endeavours "Cal Jewish thought if the proper conclusions Agency will not solve the problem. One has probably found their clearest expression in the ^redrawn from it. also to consider the political and moral aspects. memorable conference of the Hapoel Hazair at This would, of course, require almost super- Public opinion in Israel might well ask itself Prague in 1920, a meeting of Palestinian labour. "UiTian effort and moral courage such as are whether some of the reproaches it levels might East European Zeire Zionists and West Euro not to be found as a rule among people in a not rebound on itself. Several occurrences in pean intellectuals. It had been summoned by ^ass movement. It may be painful to old Israel just while the Congress was sitting can Joseph Sprinzak (for Hapoel Hazair), Elieser ^lonists, but it is difficult to conceal that with not be evaluated as strengthening the attraction Kaplan (for Zeire Zion), and Hugo Bergmann ^e growth of Israeli realities the Zionist of Israeli society for immigrants from free (West European intellectuals), and among its yrganisation has ceased to be a forum for countries; by the way, these occurrences held dominating figures were A. D. Gordon, Martin independent thought, or for an attempt to define the Israeli public much more spellbound than Buber, Chaim Arlosoroff. In those days the and tackle the real Jewish problem of 1961. did the Congress. magic word was " realisation "—as opposed to f' is rather a battlefield of old-established These remarks are not intended to suggest the mere verbosity of current Zionism. Every jnterests, especially of the various political that Western immigration to Israel is undesir kind of organisation was disparaged, every type parties of Israel which apply to it a purely able or impossible ; it could be a blessing for of party formation rejected; what mattered Pportunist point of view. They are anxious Israel and perhaps for the Jewish people as a was the individual life, the "salvation of the o acquire additional power, or to get a larger whole. But nothing is as dangerous here as nation through the salvation of the individual" nare of the funds which the Jewish Agency over-simplification. The problem requires much (Gordon). That this finally led to the forma as still the right to allocate in Israel, especi- more serious attention, within the framework of tion of a party is only one of the paradoxes ly now that certain American regulations may the Jewish situation in the 1960s. It should which confirm the inadequacy of the human P^t obstacles in the way of the direct handing be approached honestly, in an analytical spirit will. ^'" of these funds to the Government of which does not obscure the facts and does not The terminological antithesis between Zion rael (as Ben-Gurion would naturally prefer), appeal to sentiments rooted in a philosophy of ists and immigrants was even more evident to *f^ ^^^ Congress could be a stepping-stone the past. later, when in times of want and persecution reform, because its performance must have Duties of a Zionist people sought asylum wherever it was to be f|J^?e it clear to all but the most cynical that The controversy as to whether Zionism found, and also in Palestine. It would be strain les'^^ Pi'^^nt form it is out-moded and sense- implies the duty to settle in Israel or not, is by ing the truth to call these refugees Zionists; but so^' n"*^ ''^ effect on onlookers repulsive. The no means new. Zionism has often been criticised it can be argued that convictions are unimport ^^-called General Debate, in which an endless as hypocrisy, but the fact remains that from ant and only the social reality matters which p '^^'on of shallow speeches, composed of the very beginning of the Movement more than was emerging with the growth of the Yischuv. lik'^ slogans and propaganda cliches, sounded 60 years ago nobody thought that " Zionism " To expand the Yischuv at all costs was con lik^ S'^^'^ophone records, seemed singularly entailed the acceptance of obligations in actual sidered by many as more important than real ^•P'"°*^^'^"''e adopted for the evasion of the life, not even in such relatively simple matters Zionist philosophy. " Al- '*?"^^- The opening proclamation of as the learning of the Hebrew tongue, let alone In the course of the years more and more m^J,^^'' from the West" as the main object of resettlement in Palestine. Such additional influence was gained by the groups which ngress was a gesture intended to reconcile actions were admired, and sometimes treated identified Zionism with personal realisation. who"°^ leading "anti-Zionist", Ben-Gurion, to an indulgent smile. They were not regarded That their personal interests were closely bound ^ ^ants to get rid of an organisation whose as concomitants of Zionism, which merely up with life in Palestine enabled them to pro mbers call themselves Zionists without required recognition of the Basle programme, ceed with far greater energy and practical ^'•I'ng in Israel. payment of the shekel, and fulfilment of the knowledge than the majority of Zionists, who tQ """'""sly enough, the sharpest antagonism party's organisational duties. It was felt that a were merely members of the Organisation. Dre<! 'he organised Zionist Movement at political movement could only be built up on Although the idea of personal realisation gained frnm° u'^°'"^* not from " assimilationists " but some such loose structure, and not on demands the upper hand, especially in the youth move note f ^"™ Minister of Israel. The key- whicli perhaps only an " ^lite" could meet. ment, it cannot be overlooked that the original avoiri f-'^-^ Congress was cleverly chosen to It was often said that Zionism is not a religious protagonists of such ideas were gradually noh ,^"^*'°"• -^iyah is not controversial, as order, but a modern movement of the demo transformed into groups which—at Congresses, com ^ *'thin the Zionist ranks would dare to cratic age and one should not demand the for example—fought for influence and money. even 7 well-established system of values, impossible from the masses. But that is the way of the world. 'ties ^''P''essed only in commonplace general- High tribute is due to those who, for ideal Even after 1948 the difference, characteristic that " i'^' h°*ever, an illusion to assume istic reasons, left their comfortable homes in of the whole inner history of Zionism, persisted have^™^ exhortation to come to Israel can the West as pioneers to help in the develop between on the one hand, Zionists, whose are r ^v^ ,P'"actical effect unless the conditions ment of a still semi-barbaric country. Not all attitude, in spite of their nationalist ideology, are ^^^"^''^^^I'V defined, and unless the reasons the Zionists, however, considered this as their was in practice philanthropically orientated, of ,^°"^^"<^'n8 from the personal point of view duty. The definition of Zionism was as contro and, on the other hand, pioneers of thc maiin ^'^"''^-'^ immiarant. Dr. Nahum Gold- versial in those times as it is today. It is true unconditional, personal realisation of Zionist levei f*?° "^^'^^ solitary efforts to raise t'- that many emigrated to Palestine after 1933, life through settlement and work in Palestine. out th debate, was right when he pointed but for reasons other than the view that a The year 1948 saw the real debacle of the comin '«n thousand Western immigrants, Zionist must live in Palestine or that one is not principle of " personal realisation ", as Ben- indi vii voluntarily, meant ten thousand a Zionist unless he goes there. Gurion rightly says; for while nothing stood in undei .. problems. This should not be Already after the Balfour Declaration of the way of mass immigration, it did not Want ^ economically only. Are they really 1917 it was thought that people would flood materialise. Zionism in the free countries merelv ^^ ^dividual human beings, or is this into the country; but in reality only the Russian remained unaffected; people had no intention ^ customary phraseology ? Some immi Jews came, fleeing from Bolshevism. True, in (Continued on page 2, column 1) Page 2 AJR INFORMATION February, 1961 ZIONISM IN THE PAST AND TODAY NEWS FROM GERMANY {Continued from page 1) GERMAN WAR CRIMES COMMISSION PROGRESS IN INDEMNIFICATION to emigrate unless they were forced to. The SUCCESSFUL leaders of the new State, anxious to increase Up to the end of 1960 the Land Northrhine- the population at all costs and unable to count Since its inception two years ago, the Central Westphalia had settled 365,000 claims of the total on the Zionist masses, had to organise immi War Crimes Commission in Ludwigsburg, estab of 607,000.