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FORMERLYSOCIETY NEWS cy)tco,co Je(Dtsl.) l-rtstonrcol socretJ volumexiii, no.4,Summer. 1990 ffi w-ffi

HowUnhappy Migrants to Chicago SummerTours Off Establisheda Colonyin To GoodStart: New DissidentLoc'al Zionists oJ Ac'hoosa Movement Began TourSet for Aug.19 DoomedVenture in Galileein 1915 he Societys summerlour season got olf to its usualgreat stan with a By BernardI. Sandler soldout hall-daytour of Chiclgo's old Jewishneighborhoods on July l. Thc ast-EuropeanJews who cameto Americawith thegreat immigration tour was lcd by Dr. Irving Culler,well- of 1880-1924were determined to become"Americanized" in order knownhistorian of ChicagoJewry. to enhancetheir families' advancement in theirnewlv adonted coun- AL. ortiing to longtimc Tour. try. Their successis a matter of record. Yet among lhem was a small ChairmanLeah Axelrod,the threelours arc minority who fclt that Golus (exile) life in America endangcredtheir sur- onccagain proving to bean irresistibleway vival as Jews. Consequentlythey came forward with ideas and plans to spenda Sunday,and she expects thc two all-daytours scheduled for July 22 and uhich led to the establishmentof companiesfor American colonization Augustl910 fill uprapidly as wcll. and settlementof Palestineby Jews from the United States. TheJuly 22 tourwill lbcuson thc These groups were not recognized by the Zionist movement in America (Federationof Amcrican Zionists/ZionistOrganization of Amcri- tot inul\l oD t)d!. lt) ca) which called principally upon the Jews of America to help in the upbuilding of Palestinefor their unfortunateand oppressedbrethren of While most Jewishimmigrarts in Europewho were in needof a rcfugc. Amcrican Zionistshad declaredtime America found life someryhathard in the and again that this humanitarianeffort was not inconsistentwirh their alle- "Golden Medina," few thought of leaving giance to thc United Statesgovernment. American Jewish settlenrentin it. Brlt most of thosefew would ror think Palestinewas not parl of American Zionist ideology.American Zionists of returningto Europe:they wanied to go wele willing to belong to Am Yisraelbut not to Eret: Yisrael,to the people to Palestioe, to Eretz Yisrqet. Some Chicagoans in this group actually acted of Israelbut not to the land of . upon their feelings by b€coming part of fhe Achoosa movement,The $ad expedences Zionism Not Very Popular of a Chicago group who founded a colony In the early years of this century,few American Jews heededthe in Palestine in the early years of the centu- humanitariancall to aid their Dersecutedbrethren establish themselves in ry are recountedby Bernard Sandler Dr. Eretz Yisrael the Zionist movement was a small unstable movement Sandler is on the faculty of Technion in whose "Shekel" collection was pitifully small and whose chief problem Haifa, Islasl. was finding ways and meansfor meetingthe trifling expensesof its opera- Chicago Jewish ltisrff) is inter- tions. Most Jewish immigrants were preoccupiedwith the matter of their ested ir h€aring from any readers who own Americanizationand were adaptingthemselves to their new environ- know the namesof Chicago membersof ment by leaming English (not Hebrew), seekingemployment and oblain- the Achoosamovemenl

(1rln tl((t |) DUt!( o lhc abovc sl()ryfrcausc sinrilarslories con- sldnlly coDc l() our irllcnlior'las wc cxpkrrc thc p sl hisloryol our pcoplc in Chicago.A poflion ol-our rr]onlhly Board of Dircctors mcclinSsis usually givcn ovcr lo cxchaDg SocietyArticle in{ sl(r-icslhlll our rcsclrchhos discloscd. ln thal conneclion. Iwould Iikc 1o trkc lhis Unites"Lost" opportunity to lhank thc nrcmbcrsol our Board ol Dircctorsli) lhcir dcvolion 1()our FamilyMembers Socicty during thc pasl year. In parlicular, my spccialgfrlilLrdc lo Elainc Sul{)w y li)r Aru her Suct'essf'ul hcr dulics as cxcculivc sccrclafyand to hcr YearCompleted husband.Dr. lrwin Suloway. thc cdilor ol' President Chkugo.lcnislt Hrrtor-r'.Othcrs uho pcr- Waller Foth Ibnrcd stcllarwork durin-{thc ycl.itrc Burt hcn cxploring local Jcwish histo Robin. our progranrchairman; t-cah Axcl' ry, onc comcs itcross thc mosl stalcdlh{l hc had now rod. currclinalor ol our suDrmcrtoursi Dr. unusualcoincidcnccs. Last ycar I ing to Sylvan. lhat Sylvan's lathcr was Al Irving Cutlcr. nolcd Chicago historiln and rcscarchedand wrolc an arliclc lbr our Soci- Millcr, an oldcr brothcr ol Davcy. onc ol our rcgulrr lour lelders; Sol cty quartcrly on Samucl "Nails" Morton. Zeldesalso told Sylvan 1ocdll n)y Brandzcl.chairman ol-our nominatineconr- who lived in Chicagoin lhc earlyparl ol lhis inli)rmdnt 1()Iind out if hc kncw anything rDilr(\.:Elsic Orlinsll. our r',nrrnuniLrri(nr\ "A century. I callcd Nails and thc articlc aboul membersof thc lamily still in Chica- contact:and Shirlcy and SiclncySorkin. our ( Colcm ol hitrg,i' hctenrc \rrlr. Jcsnitc go. Sylvan lcarncd liom him that Sylvia hospilrlily co chairpersons.Siclncy also his rcputalionus a gamblcr and bootlcggcr. Millcr Fricdman. a daughtcr ol-Davcy playcd a spccial rolc in organizing. with was also renownedlbr his delbnseof Jews Millcr. was still alive andthat shcmight wcll chairmiln Jrnet Hagerup, our wonderlul llrst Indeed,thc simildrity ol' on thc old Wcst Sidc who wcrc thrcalcncd bc his cousin. Landsmanshalienexhibit. PastPrcsidcnt Dr lirst namesmight well bc due to their bcing by Polishand lrish gangs.I wrolc in the ani- Adele Hasl llso had a maior role in lhc namedatler lhe samccorlmon rclative.Syl- cle lhat among Nails liicnds was Davcy exhibit arrclis now mosl helptul in chairing van Millcr thcncallcd Sylvia Fricdman.who Millcr. who would soon becomc a lamous oLrrlong-rangc pllnnin!l conrmiltcc.Mnrian "delindcr" remembcrcd lhitl shc did huvc a cousrn lighl relcrec and of Jcws in his Cullcr continucs to scrve as our member- nanrcdSylvun who hdd disappcarcd.rlong own nghl. ship chairman rnd Lcah Axclrod irnd lime ago. Lrsl yerr when in New Yolk. I Charlcs Bcrnslcinproviclcd our public rcla- Sylvan and Sylviu arrangccllirr a showcd a dral-l ol my alticlc to Jacob D. lions and publicity. Cldrc Grccnhcrg orgir mccting in llrc Iohh) (,1 tlt. \trirt.r T,'u, r Zcldcs. ln alk)mcy lionr Connccticrrt whom nizccl.with Danicl Bccdcrman ancl Janct Building, and both ol lhem hlvc dcscribed I mcl quitc itccidcntally rt brcaklrsl onc Hrrr'crttp.r'ur rr'rrnl Ir.( i irtin.l (.\rnin:: k) mc lheir cmolional rcunion. Dcspilc thc norning. Mr. Zclclcswas illso intcrcstcdrn with Shcllcy Bcrman.l-asl. but ccrl inly nol Ihcl that thcy did rot know cach othcr.lhcy Jcwish lristory and mcDlioncd thal hc had lcasl.lhc Socicty could hardly endurc with wcre ablc to rccognizccach othcr imrncdi wrillcn an arliclc on Uriah Lcvy, a Jcwish oul thc rcscarchand public appcarunccsol- alcly. Thcy grectedeach olher as long lost nuvul hcro and Commrndcr ol lhc U.S. ils lonrcr prcsidcDl.Normiir Schwlrtr- Hc lunrily membersand talkcd li)r milny hours. McditcrrancanFlcct in thc carly ltl(X)'s,who his clevolcdwilc. Moscllc. inspi' Thc) nou rrrcctulnrost on u $cckly bilsis. and arc an wasln anceslorol Mrs. Z-cldcs.Hearing this, rillion lo all ol us. I havr'.ince lJlcn :rn ,rrill hi\l()r) Ir'l t'rrur.churl trr.cnrl him a Lrrplol thr'urti ol Sylv{n Miller in which he recountetlfor Wc wish you a good sumner rnd clc on my Jewish"he(). Nrils Morlon. nrc the lruly enthrallingtalc of his lile. AItcr Itxrk lirrward to sccing cach of you in thc A lcw days latcr I rcccivcda lcttcr his mothcrdivorrcd hi. lather.hc up in tulumn. whctl wc cxpecl 1()commencc our liom Mr. Zeldcs sking me il il was possible -.-rc* Pcoria withoul cver becoming parl ol lhc luctiviticswilh thc rcpublicationof a classic that the Davcy Millcr I mcnlioncd in thc Millcr clan that lived in Chicago. In any volume-]listotr rt the .ltus ol ChiLul4o.by Nails slory could have been the lalher of cvent, Sylvan and his cousin Sylvia were H. L. Mcitcs. Zcldcs' cousin.a Sylvan Millcr who livcd rn linally reunitedbecausc ol-an rrticle aboul WalterRoth Munsler. Indiana.In his letterZeldes mcn- Nails Morton publishcdin thisjoumal. Prcsident tioncclthat Sylvan's mothcr had divorccdhis To compoundthe coincidencesol' lirthcr,a Miller liom ChicaSo,llier a briel thc Miller slory, a t'ew monlhs ago I receivcd marriagc antl lhc birlh of a son in thc carly a call from a young man namcd Joscph l9(X)'s. Shc had thcn rcturncd to Peoria Kraus, who had obtaincd my name from MournPassing whcrc her lamily livcd. He lhoughtthat Syl- Sylvia Fricdman.Davey Millcr's daughtcr. van's lrthcr had bccn in thc "light business" Joe idcntilicdhimsell as a grandsonol Max Of BettyGerson lrkc thc Drrvt.yVrllcr rclcrrcd to in my ani- lllillcr, a younger brother ol Davey Miller. clc. Sylvan had Iost all contact with his Hc is in his early lwentics,an Englishteach- hc Society wishes lcl express ils Ialher'slamily. cr and an aspiringwritcr. He is now busily condolcnccsto Past PrcsidcntNor Alicr I receivcd the letlcr. I spoke rcsearchingthc lifc of his grandfathcrMax man Schwartzand his wiie Moselle with u man who I kncw had done a great and thc timcs in which hc livcd. Wc may bc upon thc rcccnt loss 0l his sistcr,Elirabcth dcrl ol rescnrchon thc lifc ol Davcy Millcr. ablc to publish somc ol-his Dratcrialin thc Ccr:.orr.A lon!rimc mcmhcrol lhc Socict). Hc inlbrmcd Zeldcsthat Duvey Millcr could Iuturc. Bctly will also bc misscd by hcr many not havc bccn Sylvan'slalhcr bccauscol an **** liiends among our mcmbcrs- agc disparity.Zcldcs quickly answcredand I hrvc t lcn lhc lihcny ,.r[rccounling I.J,S.J

2 Historyof LocalJews Was Major AchievementOf H. L. Meites H ow Publis he r Suc c e eded Odessa,who had come to the U.S. as an eleven-year-oldand soonafter joined his Against Great Odds father in his print shop.He was later to go into rhe prinlingand publishingbusiness he Histot| of the.lews oJ Chircgo, himselfwith greatsuccess, creating weekly that monumentaland comprehen- Jewishpublications in Englishfirst for a sivevolume, will becomeavailable rapidly Americanizinggeneration of immF Ili:tirv ol rbc grants Je*r this Fall after almost a half-centuryduring and later for their children. Among of ChicagLr which it was virtually unobtainablc.It is thesewere the Jewish Record,the Lawn- 11.t .. -'vlELfES bcing republishedthrough the effons of the dale Press and later the Chicago .lewish ChicagoJewish Historical Society and the Chronitle. generosityof the author'sgrandchildren. Despitehis background,Meitcs Their involvementis most appropriate becamewell-known and well-regardedin becau$ethe original publication of thehuge lhe older German-Jewishcommunity and Draft ol artwork lor cover of reprinting ol Meiled History ot ChicagoJews bookin 1924was thc pcrsonalachievemcnt was able to securethe supportof the lead- of one man,its author,compiler and print- crsof thatgroup for his hi\tor) of Chicago a facsimileof the originalcdition of 850 double-column,lavishly illustrated pages, er,Hyman L. Meites. Jewry.David Hirsch,a sonof RabbiEmil containsa runningchronological history, "H.L." Meites,as he was more G. Hirschof Sinai Congregation,was even- accountsof Jcwishachievemenls in various generallyknown, labored mightily lbr well tllally to serveas associateeditor of Meites' business,professional and cultural endeav- over a decade1o enlist the support,both history.In additionto his publishingven- orsand historics of localcommunal institu- cditorialand financial,neccssary for the tures,Meites was a pioneerin theAmencan tionsand congregalions. publicationof a thoroughhistory of Jewish Zionistmovement and an organizerof the lifc and achievemcntin Chicagofrom it. ChicagoHebrew Institute,which later grap beginningsover three quarters of a century bccamethc JewishPeople's Institute and B io hie s Prov e I nvaluab le bcfore.To sccurethis support,he had to ultimatelythe Jewish Community Centers. Perhapsmore interestingare thc crealean orSanizationlo promoteand hundrcdsof biographiesof both Cerman sponsorthc history. Unusual Publishing Procedure and RussianJews, so manyof whom wcrc relativesof modemreaders. The methodof publicationand Formed Historit:al Societyin l9l8 The reprinting,expectedto be financinglbr thc original Meiteshistory The rcsulting organization was availablcby late September,will list for miSht soundstrange 10 the modem reader, lhc Jcw!:'h Hi:\loricrl Socicty of lllinors. $48.95.Society members in goodstanding but il wasone commonly used fbr localhis- formally crcatcdin May, l9lt3 at a mccling will be ablc to purchasecopies at a dis- tory books both in Chicagoand elsewhere hcld at ChicagoSinai Congrcgation.Mcitcs count.The prcssrun is limitcd to 1,000 duringthc dccadesbcfore and after 1900. was to bc ils sccrctary lbr almost all ol its coprcs. (The Becauseso many indiv iduals short existencc. society,in a sensethc I.J.S.U prcdcccssor of the prcscnt Chicago Jcwish wcrcto bc mcntioncdor writtenextensively llistorical Socicty. did rclativcly Iitllc aboul in the projectedvolume. they were bcsidcspublishing Meiles'hislory and was approachcdand askcdto hclp underwrite apprr,'rrtl1rn clrly victim of thc rlcpres'ion costsby "subscribing"for the book before of thc Thirties.) publication.Thcrc werediffercnt levels of NewRegular, Life That thc book was wrillcn and pub pre-paymentinvolved, and the formatol' Iishcdat all is testimonylo onc ol Meites' cachb

6 renewedcolonization efforts and Dlansof the World the purchaseof Sarona(Rama) from the JewishColo- ZionistOrganization. which had eitablishedboth the nizationAssociation (JCA). The ChicagoAchooza and PalestineBureau to direct the efforts of Jewishcolo- the PalestineBureau used the terms"Sarona" and nizationand settlementsand the PalestineLand Devel- "Rama" interchangeablyin their correspondence.The opment Company (PLDC) to act as the central land local Arab population referred to the Hebrew purchasingagency and to train new settlersin the culti- "Sharona"as "Sarona."Since Sarona was situated on a vation of their lands.The advocatesof the Achooza flat plateau,i.e., rama, it was also called "Rama" by idea assuredinvestors that all Achooza colonization the localinhabitants. and settlementendeavors would be guided by a rep- The landsite chosen was situated in the hills of utablebody such as the PalestineBureau. the Lower Galilee, in the environs of the Poriya In seeking the guidance of the Palestine colony, about sixteento eighteenkilometers west of Bureauthe Achoozacompanies specified that they .The JCA agreedto sell the ChicagoAchooza desiredto be near some well-establishedurban area. 4,814dunams (about 1,200 acres) of the Saronalands, The PalestineBureau received many lettersfrom these and the ChicagoAchooza decided to follow the same Achoozacompanies asking for assistancein theacqui- almondand olive plantationset-up as Poriya. sitionof suitableland sitesfor their futurecolonies. Saronawas readyto be settledat the end of But for this extensivecorrespondence preserved by l9l3; and Simon Goldman,Eliyahu Israelite and a the PalestineBureau. much of the AmericanAchooza group of hired workers and armed shomrim(Iewish activity,including Chicago efforts, for colonization guards),with wagonsloaded with provisions,left and settlementof Palestinewould neverhave been Poriyaand beganthe marchtoward the Saronalands. known to history. The Goldman entourage passed the moshavot (colonies)Beit-Gan and Yavniel,whose inhabitants The Start in St.Louis joinedthe procession in songand dance. On October l, 1908at Zion Hall in St. Louis Simon Goldmanestablished the St. Louis Hoachooza A Lopical Place Chosen Association;two yearslater land was purchasedin At SaronaGoldman delivered a speechin Palestinenear Tiberias and the St. Louis colony of whichhe assertedthat the establishmentof Saronawas Poriya (i.e., fruitful), the first AmericanAchooza anothergreat step towards the redemptionof the colony in Eretz-Yisrael,was founded"to demonstrateGalilee.and thosewho wereDresent were witnesses to that peoplewith limited means(nicht reicheleite) anothergreat event in the hiitory of Palestiniancolo- could acquirea home for themselvesand a livelihood nization.Rivka Machanaimit,a poeletor worker at in Palestine...andthereby encourage the Jewishmasses Poriya,describing the settlementat Sarona,wrote, to form similarsocieties...." Poriya progressed satis- "...all night I embroidereda flag for the settlementcer- factorily,building homes,acquiring livestock and emonywhich read...'Conquerorsof SaronaMay Your farmingimplements and engagingin dairyingand cul- HandsBe Strengthened,Rise and Succeed."' tivat ing itsalmond planlalion5. Goldmanmaintained that Saronawas to be the The sameidea which had materializedin the retort and retaliation for the bloody murder of purchaseof Poriya inspiredJews in Chicagoto orga- YeheskelNisanov. a shomer.which occurredthere in nize themselvesand establishthe ChicagoAchooza l9ll. Indeed,ihe neighboringsettlers had reasonto PalestineLand and Development Company in 1911.In rejoicein the foundingand settlementof Saronawhich the spirit of Goldman's Hoachooza,the Chicago now was to be the centerof the Jewishcolonies in the Achoozaannounced that it too plannedfor settlement Lower Galilee.Sarona, which had hithertobeen inhab- and the creationof a colony in Palestine.The Hebrew ited by Arabs,was the only passbetween Beit Gan, motto on the ChicagoAchooza stock certificates is Yavniel,Kinneret and the JordanValley settlements on markedlyindicative of the membership'saspirations: oneside, and Sedjera and Kfar Taboron theother. This "Arise, shine,fbr thy light is come."(Isaiah, LX l) passwas notoriously known in the Galileeas the "Dar- danellesPass" since those Jews who traversedit were ChicagoGroup BuysLand molested,robbed and assaultedfrequently by the When the membershipin the ChicagoAchooza Arabs. reachedfifty in the beginningof 1912,the groupbegan to correspondwith the PalestineBureau for guidance War ClosesIn on Colony in the acquisitionof land. Simon Goldmanof Poriya Sarona,which had actually existed for lessthan wasappointed by the ChicagoAchooza as its solerep- one year,wasin I 9 l4 faced with the samehardships resentativein Palestineand togetherwith the manager and financialdifficulties as othersettlements in Pales- of Poriya,Eliyahu Israelite, he went out to surveysuit- tine. World War I had disruptedvirtually all the plans able sitesfor the ChicagoAchooza. Endeavoring to of the ChicagoAchooza and madeit extremelydiffi- fulfill the ChicagoAchooza's wishes, he arrangedfor cult to sendmoney to Sarona.Henceforth, Sarona was to be plaguedwith financialdistress and encumbrances of the plantationsto neighboringArab farmers.When which madethe colony entirelydependent at timeson the news of this decision reached the Vaad the good will of the PalestineBureau and causedthe HamoshavotShel HaGalil Hatachton(Committee of colony to turn againand againto the Bureaufor suc- Lower Galilee)and the HistadrutHapoalim Hahaklaim cor. At this time Saronahad a populationof thirty (Agricultural WorkersOrganization), both organiza- workers, and preparationsfor the planting of 1,450 tionsdeemed such an actionin bad faith to the Ameri- dunamshad been completed. can absenteelandowners. The Vaad voted to aid In l9l5 Morris Kolker from the Chicago Saronaat all costsby agreeingto cultivateall the plan- Achoozaarrived in Palestineaboard a U.S. coalshipto tationsof the colony providedthat after the war the manageSarona jointly with Mr. Israelite.Kolker was Vaad would be reimbursed.Kolker refusedto accept soonwitness to a countrywhose agriculture was being the Vaad'sproposals, and called a halt to all cultivation sappedand waning becauseof perniciouslocusts that work at Saronain July, l9l7 lbr a periodof one year. had spreadover the land,causing hunger to hoverover In an attemptto liquidateSarona's debts, Kolker did the populace.He also witnessedthe continuedconfis- leasesome of the colony'slands to the Circassian cations of work animals and provisions from the Arabs. coloniesby the Turkish gendarmes,which further After the British conouestof Palestine.the addedto the burdensof the settlers. ChicagoAchooza members weie advised by thePales- Fortunatelythe locustsdid not infest Sarona, tine Bureauto cometo Saronafor the specificpurpose and Kolker was able to begin clearing one thousand of workingand settlingso that they in turn couldteach dunamsfor the fall planting.Work on the plantations future membersabout plantation work. The estimated continued,but Kolker was able to compensatethe twenty to twenty-five members of the Chicago workerswith only part of their wagesbecause of a Achoozaplanning to settlein Saronawere encouraged dearthof funds. By the middle of July, 1915,Sarona by the reportsof the HistadrutHapoalim and by the was bereftof all provisionsfor both man and animal agronomistA. Ettinger of the PalestineOffice's and turned in desperationto the PalestineBureau to Departmentof Agricultureand Settlement,who main- cometo the rescueof the AmericanAchoozoth, Poriya tainedthat the soil at Saronawas still suitableand and Sarona,by granting them enoughwheat for the arablefor plantationsand for the creationof a large comingwinter. The U.S. Ambassadorto Turkey,Henry colony. Morgenthau,having been contacted about the plight of the American Achoozoth forwarded the information to More ChicapoansArrive the ChicagoAchooza membership, who immediately In 1920Leon Burman,who was appointedby respondedand dispatchedtwo thousanddollars to the the ChicagoAchooza to manageSarona, settled there PalestineBureau for Sarona. with his family, a wife and two childrenaged five and six years.Two otherfamilies joined the Burmans:the A SingleC hicago Settler Kaplan family with their childrenaged three months, Monis Kolker had now been at Saronafor one four, six and eight; and the Halperinsand their three- yearand, with SimonGoldman, had sharedmuch of the year-olddaughter. With sucha groupof of youngchil- hardshipthat World War I had cast upon his neophyte dren at Sarona,a young pioneer (halutz), Yitzchak colony. Settlementby the Americanmembership was Lamdan, later to becomea noted Hebrew poet, was not possiblebecause of the war, and the only Chicago engagedby the settlersto instructand educate the chil- settlerwas Kolker himself.In the beginningof 1916, dren. The Americanfamilies of Saronawere also work at Kolker was encouragedto continuewith the joined by two groupsof youngpioneers who cameto from the PalestineBureau. Saronaupon receivingfunds settletemporarily but who aidedin the developmentof was with only one work horse But soonSarona stranded the colony. after the Turkish authoritieshad takenaway many of the work animalsfor militaryduty. ln the wake of this renewedenthusiasm. some ChicagoAchooza members left for Palestineto exam- Nevertheless,Kolker proceededwith the planta- ine their holdingsin Saronafor a few weeks,but they tion work and,on a daily basis,hired horsesand mules returnedto Chicagoand reported to themembership on for the cultivationwork. Life at Saronapersisted under the adverseconditions in theircolony. greatduress as the colonyconstantly sought provisions and financial aid from the PalestineBureau. The Bureau To essentiallysupported and salvagedthe colony with its Disillusion and Offers Sell charitableloans and assistance.The generalsituation in After this report the majority of the Chicago Palestineduring this time was disheartening-privation, Achoozamembership gave up all furtherprospects of hungerand indeeddeath hovered over the project. settlementand agreedto sell their holdingsto ihe Jew- ish NationalFund so that it couldsettle the land imme- F inancial Proble ms Overw he lming diatelywith Palestinianf'armers, who wouldjoin forces Saronadeclared an emergencycrisis in Febru- with the remaininginterested minority of Achooza ary, l9l1 and the managementconsidered the leasing membersand rebuild the colonv. But the Jewish 8 National Fund informed the Chicaeo Achooza that and Kaplanfamilies. Notwithstanding the predica- lhey were not in any positionto purchasethe land ment of thesepeople, Achooza members P. Shomer becausethey were without sufficientresources at the and Morris Ben Amy, the presidentof the Chicago end of the war. Achooza,came out to settleat Sarona.Ten other Burman, the new manager,remonstrated and ChicagoAchooza members followed them but settled remindedthe JNF that Saronawas in the centerof the in various urban centersthroughout Palestine since Jewishcolonies in the Lower Galilee and was abso- theydid not seeany futureat Sarona. lutely vital for the other settlements,which neededa A group or kvutzaof young pioneersfrom strongJewish colony there.If abandoned,Sarona Brisk, Poland.however, decided to settle at Sarona would becomeanother stronghold for the Arabs, and managedto stay on for two years. Finally, endangeringthe neighboringcolonies in the Lower becauseof varioushardships, the groupleft Saronain Galilee.Burman also remindedthe JNF that since 1925 and settled in Nahala. The Shomer and Kanlan there were still some diehardAmerican Achooza families.however. remained at Saronauntil 1928, membersinterested in settling in Sarona,the colony whenthey too left the colony. shouldnot be scuttled. During l92l and,1922 the ChicagoAchooza Assessingthe Achooza Effort made a number of proposalsto the JNF whereby it In 1938Sarona was resettledby a groupof offered the fund from 500 to 1,500dunams of free Jewishsettlers as part of the "" land,provided the fund liquidatedall the debtsdue to colonizationscheme for the "renewedsettlement" of the main creditor(JCA) and aid in the settlementof at the Yishuv and existsto this day as the - leastfive to fifteen Palestinianfamilies on the land, ovdim (workers' village) Sharona,in the Lower who could work with the remaining "American Galilee. Achoozabourgeoise" in the rejuvenationof Sarona. The trials and tribulationsof the Chicaso However,because of the financialdifficulties that AchoozaZionists were not totally in vain sincet6e plaguedthe JNF,the proposalscould not be accepted. Achoozaidea succeededin stimulatinsAmerican Jewsto parlicipa(ein lhecolonization of Falestinefor A Few More LeaveChicago a quarterof a century.The towns and communities By 1923 the ChicagoAchooza, whose mem- which exist today in Israel as a result of other bershad doubtlessbeen affected by the generalslack- Achoozaendeavors are manifestationsof the oracti- ening in nearlyevery field of businessin America cability of Simon Goldman's original ide;. The afterWorld War I, decidedto discontinuePaying Bur- AmericanAchooza activities for colonizationand set- man his managerialsalary and to hand over the tlementof Palestinewere partial but still significant administrationand inventoryof the colony to the stepstaken towardsthe growth,development and remainingAmerican settlers, the Burman,Halperin rebirthof Israel

MinskyCompetition Monograph Free to Members is being undertakenby Cutler and his com- The resultingmonograph will be mittee,which consistsof Mark Mandle, (the GetsMany Entries made availablewilhout cosl lo Society JosephMinsky fund founder),Norman membersin good standingat the time of Schwartzand Irwin Suloway.An announce- ForPrize, Publication publicationas well as to the almost two ment concerningthc chosenmanuscript is hundredindividuals who havecontributed expectedin theFall. WinningMonograph Will Go to the MinskyFund, which was cstablished Among the criteria usedby the to SocietyMembers in 1988as a tribute and memorialto the committeein its selectionare, in additionto late Doris Minsky, a Societyfounder and appropriatelength, the manuscript'svalue as officer until her untimely deaththe year a contributionto local Jewishhistory, its his year'sMinsky Fundmonograph before.Copies will alsobe soldto the gen interestto the informedbut non-specialist competitionhas produceda good eralpublic. reader,the adequacyof its contentand the numberof manuscriptsand should received degreeto which the writer achievedhis stat- resultin the publicationin late 1990of a The manuscripts covera ed purpose.Manuscripts not selectedthis monographon local Jewishhistory which variety of aspectsof local Jewishhistory including year may be resubmittedin othersyears' the Societycan be proud of. accordingto accordingto Cutler, historiesof compet|tlons. Fund Chairmanlrving Cutler. Deadlinefor individualJewish institutions, biographies submissionof manuscriptswas June 30. and storiesof Jewishbusinesses among Contributionsto the fund may still others. Dr. Cutler and his committeeof be madeto the Societyoffice. The namesof readersarc currentlyevaluating manuscripts all contributorswill appearin the first mono- in orderto selectthe entry bestsuited for Committee Se Iects Winner graph.Those of sponsors,contributors of publicationby the Society.The authorof the The difficult task of evaluatingthe onc hundreddollars or more.will appearin winning entry will receivean award of manuscriptsand choosingthe one deemed everymonograph published by the fund. $1,000from the Minsky Fund. most appropriatefor publicationat this timc o AnnualMeeting, Members'Brunch CloseYear EmanuelCongregation HostsJune I0 Meetinp

manuelCongregation served as host fbr the Sociely'sannual Members Only Brunchheld on Sunday,June 10.The lavish cold meat, salads and dessert spreadwas anangcdby HospitalityChair- man ShirleySorkin and presidedover by PresidentWalter Roth. At thc brief annualmeeting fol- Shelly Berman lowing the meal,President Roth summa- (right) at CJHS rizedkey cventsof thc pastycar, including benefit with suchhighlights as the programson Yiddish Norman and Moselle Schwartz thcatreand DankmarAdler, thc cxhibit and programon landsmanshaJienand the Shel- cty in its cffortsto preserveand disseminale ley Bermanplay benefit.Nine personswere ShellyBerman localJewish history. clectcdto thc Society board.(See story I.J.S.U elsewherein thisissue.) Play,Benefit Both Alter the meeting, Program ChairmanBurt Robinintroduccd the day's ProveSuccessful entertainment,singer-comedienne Nedy BoardMembers Silverand hcr pianoaccompanist. As usual, uccessand satisfactionas wcll as the brunchand its programcost weresubsi- enjoymentmarked thc Socicty'sfirst Chosenat Yearly dizedby theSociety in gratiludeto its loyal bcncfit,hcld Sundaycvcning, April mcmbcrship. U 29, at the NationalJewish Theater in Skok Meeting ic. Thc cntirc bloc ol tickets hcld by CJHS perlormance Ior a of Shelley Berman's wo new memberswcrc clcctcd and play, SummerTours First Is Supper, was sold; an cnthusi sevcn curlcnl mcmDcrs werc re- aslic audiencc took to its heart the warm t ontuu.tLllron ruk I clccted 1()thrcc-ycar lcrms on thc and moving memoir of lilb on intcrcst in landsmanshaJiengenerated by Chicago's Sociely's board of dircctors at thc annual West Sidc carly in thc century;and thc inti- this ycar's exhibit and p.ogram dcvotcd to brunch on June 10. Togctherwith thc con mate reception with Bcrman which Iol- that topic. Startingat thc ncw Univcrsily of tinuing membcrs,thcy constitutcthc 1990- lowcd lhe p( rlormancc wr. h.'llr cnlcrtilin Illinois-Chicago Hillel building, thc tour 9l govcrning body ol lhc Chicago Jewish ing and cnlightcning. will Iearure rcmini.ccnccs b1 olJ timcrr I lisloricalSociety. and visits to sitcs. neighborhoods and The Chicago born and -raiscd Ncw membcrs ol thc board arc cemeterics associaled with landsman comcdian, actor and writcr sharcrl wilh Hcrbcrt Kraus, a public rclations co[nscli lricncls shaltcn.Lcadcrs will bc Sidncy Sorkin and Socicty mcmbcrs and detailsol his and StanleyRoscn, a prolcssorat thc Uni- youth in our cily, thc rclalionshipol Flr.!/ Irwin Lapping. A lunch stop will bc madc rr'rsit1 ol Illinrris. Chicrpo. fhcy loin rL. Suppcr hi\ (,wn lamill al the Univcrsily of Illinois. lt lr) und crpcri- clcctcd mcmbersLeah Axclrod, Irving Cut- enccs,and his Ihoughtsabout acting in /'zr Also ncw this ycar will be the lcr, Marirn Cullcr, Jancl Hagcrup, Elsic Not Rappuporl. long-running play August l9 tour lilled Summer Salari,which thc in Orlinsky. Shirlcy Sorkin and Sidncy which hc hadjust complctcdstaning. will be lcd by Mrs. Axclrod. Thal tour will Sorkin. cxplorc lhc Jcwish communitics in Elgin, Particularly fascinating was his Continuing board mcm bc rs, how Fint /s Rocklbrd and Bcloit and will includc visits cxpositionol Sap.,/-was con- whosc lcrms cxpirc in l99l or 1992, arc to local synlgogues. A lunch will be ceived, writtcn and rewriltcn in thc coursc Daniel Bccdcrman,Charlcs Bcrnstcin,Sol pr(parrli(rn included with lhe lour price ol $34.(X)for of Iirr its nrcmiercin Skrkic. BranJ/cl, Hcrmun Druznrn, Cllre Crcr.n mcmbcrs and $39.00 for non-mcmbers. During much ol thc preparalion berg. Edward Mazur, Tom Mcitcs. Joscph Pickup points will be at the Chicago Mar Iirr that opening and its first perlbrmances, Minsky. Drvid Passman,Jamcs Ricc, Burt riott Hotcl al lt:30 AM and the Bernard Bcrman \4irs lhc hou\cFu(sl ol Srr(iq11 Robin, Waller Roth, Mosellc Schwurtz. Horwich JCC at 9 AM, wilh retum sched Board mcmber Clarc Grcenbcrg, an old Milton Shuhnan,Elainc Suloway and lrwin ulcd lbr 6:30 and 6 PM rcspcctivcly.Inter- Iricnd, who arranged the bcnclit and was Suloway. Also on the board arc Past PrcJii- esled individualsshould call Mrs. Axclrod largcly responsiblefor its succcss.Shc was dcnl:' Adcle HJ.t. Ruchcl Hcimovics, ut {701t,412-700.1to scc if rny .pacc ir aidcd in hcr cllbrts by Danicl Bccdcrman, Muricl Robin Rogcrs and Norman availablc. All rcscrvations must bc madc JanetHagerup and Burl Robin. Schwartz. Proceedsliom the salc ol tickcts, untl puid [,'r in advancc.Travcl is by rir (:l,tinud o,t put( ll conditioncdbus. U which were $35.00 each,will aid the Soci- 10 Left : Stashover Holocausl survivors (1.to r.) Ann Weinberg,Eric Beifer, Pearl Grossman, Sam Friedman and Jack Weinbergwere among those videotaped. Below: ModeralorSol Brandzel(1.) and Ed Mazursupervised the taping (Story below) Ph0ntsht tto:tllt s ttwtrt:

5rrrf-R StashoverVideotape CJHS Exhibits Seen Availablefor Use At UICHillel House By Organizations StudentsSee Maxwell Street. Landsmanshafie n Photo s avingcompleled ils lirst vidcotap- ing projcct for its archives,thc ortionsof lwo photoexhibits which ChicagoJcwish I-listorical Society havc provcdpopular with Society has dccided to make the resulting tapc mcmbcrshavc bccnmounted al the lurlilublc lor horrowinL h) vari{rLr\,)rgrni ncw Univcrsityol lllinois-ChicagoHillcl /illior\ desirinFt(, use it lbr nr,r!rulntnin! Cenlcr.whetc lhe CJHSrccently acquircd purposes.accordin{ to Sol Brandzcl. who spaccfbr Societyuse. One deals with Jew- headedthe projcct. ish MaxwcllStrcel. thc olhcrwitlr the role Thc lapc. uhrrh run\ rnPr0\i ol r(/?i?.r and lundsntunsluliett.n'lulual aid mrlcl) orrc hour. in\(rlvc. l,)rnrcf lcn rc\i- sourclic\.in l,rcrlJeu i:.h rmnri!rilnl li[c. denls ol the Stashovcr !rca of inlewar ''Wc alc happyto havcthc oppol- P'rlLrndwhr' .urvivcrl lhcrr (uncenlrlrtiorl lunity1() inlbrm Jewish collcsc students of camp cxpcriencesand later becamcChica theirroots in thecily's Jcwish history,'said go rcsidcnts.'Iheir recolleclionsol lilc in SocielyPrcsidcnt Waltcr Rorh."Our ncw Stashover.the Holocaust tcrror, and their HillelCenter. which is currenllyopen lo thc spaccat Hillcl Housemakes il possibleto laler enlrancc inlo Chicago lifc are record- publicas wcll asUIC students,is localedal reachout k) youngerJews, many of whom cd for poslcrily. Mr. Brandzei. himscll- 929South Morgan Strcet. lJ areunaware of the Socielyand its work or Slashovcrborn but who came to thc U.S. as ol the lascinalingpast of our Jewishcom- a child carly in the century.served a moder- munity." ator ol the discussion. The Maxwcll Streetphotos with BoardMembers An audio casetteof the tapc has thcir cxplanatorytext werepart ( otiti ?tl lion pu! l0 also been madc and il as well as the video- of a large ChicagoHistorical Society exhibit in 1982, Society oificcrs. PresidentWalter tapc will bc available for use by studcnts Roth,Vice-Prcsident in which our Societyplayed a role. Since Bun Robin,Secretary rnd scholarsstudying Jcwish life in Poland Elaine Suloway rhenthe CHS haspermittcd rhe CJHS to and TreasurerHcrman hcforc World Wrr ll. the Holociru"tc\pcri- Draznin,continue in have major porlionsol rhare\hibil on officc throughJune, ence.and \urvi!or integrrtion into Chicago 199t. Jcwish life. indefiniteloan and to arrangefor itsexhibi- lion lhroughoutlhe area. The clection look placeat the OrSanizalions wish ing to make annualmccting lbllowing the reportof the Thc landsmanshalierphotos are a use ol lhe vidcotape should get in touch nominatin8committee givcn by its chair partof the popularexhibit at SpenusCol- with Mr. Brandzcl at (312)73{i-6147or the man,Sol Brandzel. legewhich lhe Societymounted during th€ Socictyofficc at (3l2)663,5634. The Socictyboard of dircctors Fallof 1989. Almost thc cntire cost of making consistsol currentofficers, past presidents the videotapeprofessionally was recouped The Maxwcll Strcclphotos at Hil- (cx officio) and direclorselcclcd by thc by donations from Stashovers and olher lcl Housc werc arrangedby Norman membershipfor staggercdlhree-year tcrms. rndividuclsanxiou\ lo prc\crve lhe hislori- Schwartz,while SidneySorkin is responsible Oflicersare clccled b] thc boardfrom il\ cal rccord of this particular segnrent of for the showingof /andsnenshaftpholos. mcmbershiplbr a two-yearterm. Current ChicagoJewry. il The William and MildredLcvine officersserve through June of 1991. U