Conferences.
September, 1915.
Zionist Conference—Dordrecht—Holland.
Roumania. Annual Meeting of the Roumanian Zionist Federation, November 7th and 8th, held in Galatz. Country divided into four districts for Zionist work: Galatz, Bucharest, Jassy, Foscani.
Canada. General Jewish Conference held in Montreal, November 14th and 15th, together with the Annual Meeting of the Canadian Zionist Federation, presided over by Clarence de Sola.
December 5th, 1915.
West Austrian—Galician—and Bukowina Zionist Conferences (Adolf Stand in the chair). Resolutions:—
“The Assembly expects to see the Jewish problem discussed at the peace conference, and trusts that the Actions Committee will find suitable means and ways to create a united manifestation of the Jews of all countries for the demand of securing for the Jews their civil and political equality of rights all over the world, and in the nationality states also recognition of their national existence.
“The Actions Committee is asked to prepare everything in a suitable manner, in order that the interests of political Zionism may be secured before the Forum of the future Peace Congress.”
December 26th and 27th, 1915.
Holland. At Nymegen one hundred and twenty delegates attended.
December, 1915.
Manchester. Conference of English “Poalei Zion.” Delegates from all parts of the country attended.
January 1st, 1916.
England. Conference convened by E.Z.F. attended by Rabbis, delegates of Synagogues, Friendly Societies and Trade Unions.
January 5th, 1916.
America. Annual Conference of the Federation of “Knights of Zion,” at Chicago. The Federation has fifty-three active branches and three thousand members.
January, 1916.
Australia. Annual Conference of the Sydney Zionist Society.
February 6th, 1916.
America. Annual Convention of the Zionist Council of Greater New York.
February 13th, 1916.
England. Annual Conference of the English Zionist Federation at Manchester.
1916.
Mizrachi. The Annual Conference of the “Mizrachi” was held at Chicago, May 26th–30th. The “Mizrachi” of America comprises one hundred and three associate-societies and twenty-four synagogues. The membership is six thousand.
Some of the principal American Rabbis attended the Conference.
A special Palestine Bureau was created. A new union, called “Achi Samach,” was formed, for the encouragement of the sale of Palestinian products.
1916.
Bombay. A Meeting of the Magen David Congregation was held at Bombay. The proceedings were all in Hebrew. Sir Jacob Elias Sassoon, Bart. (1844–1916), was re-elected president.
May 28th and 29th, 1916.
Scandinavia. The Twelfth Annual Conference of Scandinavian Zionists was held at Copenhagen. Thirty-one delegates from all parts of the country were present. Various resolutions were passed, expressing confidence in the work of the Central Executive.
1916.
Switzerland. A Conference of the Swiss Zionist Federation was held at Berne on June 1st.
1916.
South Africa. The Annual Conference of the South African Zionist Federation was held at Johannesburg on April 30th. Over one hundred delegates were present.
1916.
Canada. “Poalei Zion” of Montreal had a series of Conferences on June 2nd–4th.
America. Conference of American Zionist Federation held at Philadelphia on July 2nd. Over five hundred delegates present.
July 8th, 1916.
Conference at New York of the “Young Judea.” The membership is three thousand five hundred.
September 13th–15th, 1916.
Poland. A Zionist Conference was held in Warsaw, attended by one hundred and twenty-five delegates from Warsaw and the Polish provincial cities.
The following resolution was passed:—
“1. That the Central Committee establish a special Palestine Office, to gather information and material with respect to the present situation in Palestine and with respect to the possibilities for work after the war.
“2. That it elaborate this material and spread it within wide circles. Further, it has to organize pioneer groups, who are willing to go to Palestine, as well as to work out a scheme for the preparation of these pioneers.”
September, 1916.
Russia. “Poalei Zion” Conference—the first since the outbreak of the war. Resolution passed:—
“That we agitate among the Jewish masses instructing them the only solution for the Jewish problem is the creation of a Jewish Home in Palestine.”
September 18th, 1916.
Conference of Zionist speakers, held at New York.
Bohemia. The Annual Conference of Bohemian Zionists was held at Prague on November 1st.
America. Zionist Students’ Organization of America held its Second Annual Conference, November, 1916.
November 14th–19th.
America. “Poalei Zion” Conference at Boston. Attended by one hundred and nine delegates from the United States and Canada.
(During the year two thousand new members had been enrolled. Juvenile Societies, with eighteen branches and over one thousand members, had been formed.)
1916.
England. On December 24th and 25th the Order of Ancient Maccabeans held their Annual Grand Beacon Meeting in Manchester. Resolution:—
“That this Grand Beacon Meeting reiterates its loyalty to the Zionist programme, as endorsed from Congress to Congress, and expresses the hope that the time may not be far distant when our brethren will be accorded full civil and political rights all over the world, and that the order co-operate with bodies that strive for the above objects.”
1916.
Holland. The Seventeenth Annual Conference of the Dutch Zionist Federation was held at the Hague on December 24th and 25th, 1916.
About one hundred and twenty delegates were present, including representatives of the “Poalei Zion” and the Belgian Zionist Federation.
The Dutch Federation comprises twenty-six societies, with a total membership of one thousand six hundred and sixty.
Collections: Palestine Fund, 11,453 fl.; Central Fund, 913 fl.; National Fund, 10,709 fl.
1917.
Poland. The Annual Meeting of the Warsaw Zionists, held on January 11th, attended by a thousand shekel payers.
1917.
America. In March, a Conference of Jewish Socialist Workers was held in New York, and attended by four hundred delegates. The Basle programme was adopted.
1917.
Mizrachi. Over two hundred delegates attended the “Mizrachi” Convention at Pittsburg, where the deliberations extended for over five days. Fifty of the most prominent orthodox Rabbis of the country attended. The “Mizrachi” has a hundred and nineteen branches in ninety-five cities spread over twenty-eight States.
1917.
America. “Knights of Zion” held their Twentieth Annual Convention at Minneapolis and St. Paul. The “Knights of Zion” had seventy-six societies with a membership of four thousand two hundred.
America. Hebraists Convention took place in New York on February 10th, 11th and 12th. Many Hebrew scholars from all parts of the country were present.
America. The Eleventh Annual Meeting of the Zionist Council of New York was held on February 16th, attended by eighty-eight delegates, representing thirty societies.
1917.
England. The Annual Conference of the E.Z.F. was held in February in London. About sixty delegates were present.
1917.
Switzerland. The Swiss Zionist Federation held a Conference at Berne on February 18th. Thirty-five delegates attended.
1917.
Russia. On March 28th–30th there was held a Conference of the Central Institutions of the Zionist Organization. About fifty delegates attended.
Conference of all Russian Zionist Organizations, held in Moscow, April 3rd. Dr. E. W. Tschlenow presided.
1917.
Greece. On April 9th a Mass Meeting, attended by over three thousand persons, was held at Salonica. After addresses delivered by several speakers, a resolution was passed urging the restoration of the oldest nation and its regeneration in Palestine.
1917.
Belgian Zionists. On April 29th the Belgian Zionist Federation held a Conference at Scheveningen, Holland.
1917.
Australia. Annual Meeting held at Sydney, March 18th.
1917.
England. Special Conference E.Z.F. in London, May 20th.
1917.
Russia-Turkestan. Early in May a Conference of Turkestan Zionists was held at Samarcand. The delegates were both Ashkenazi and Sephardi. Thirty delegates attended, besides delegates for the Bokhara Jews, and two hundred guests.
A Zionist Central Committee was formed for Turkestan.
1917.
Poland. June 3rd–5th. Conference of Zionist Central Committee for Poland, held in Warsaw.
1917.
Russia. On May 24th (O.S.) the Seventh Conference of Russian Zionists was held at Petrograd, and was attended by five hundred and fifty-two delegates, representing one hundred and forty thousand shekel payers, from six hundred and forty towns and villages. Eleven delegates came from Siberia. Bokhara and Mountain Jews were represented. Twenty-four delegates were soldiers coming by special permission of the Commander-in-Chief, who got free passes. Five hundred guests came from the country and one thousand guests from Petrograd were present. Ninety representatives of Russian papers were present. The Foreign Secretary, Teretschenko, sent greetings and best wishes for complete success.
Dr. E. W. Tschlenow’s speech was reprinted in half a million copies for the soldiers.
A meeting of Zionist Women was held in the hall of Kiew University in May. More than one thousand five hundred Jewish women attended.
1917.
In 1913 there were only twenty-six thousand shekel payers in Russia—now one hundred and forty thousand. Resolution passed:—
“The Seventh Zionist Russian Conference proclaims its firm conviction that the nations, in settling the bases of the new national and political life, shall be conscious of the clearly manifested will of the Jewish people to colonize Palestine again as their national centre, and that they shall create conditions enabling the unhindered evolutions and concentration of all Jewish forces, for the purpose of bringing about a regeneration of Palestine.”
A representative body of the Jewish people should be admitted to the approaching Peace Conference, which shall obtain attention for the historic and national rights of the Jewish people.
1917.
America. Independent Order “Brith Shalom” held their Thirteenth Annual Conference in Atlantic City on June 13th. Over six hundred delegates were present. The resolution passed commenced thus:—
“Whereas the Independent Order has adopted the Zionist platform in spirit and in fact, and has pledged itself to the furtherance of all principles it stands for, etc., etc.”
1917.
America. The Twentieth Conference of American Zionists opened at Baltimore on June 24th. Over a thousand delegates were present.
1917.
America. Twentieth Annual Convention of Progressive Order of the West was held at Detroit, Michigan. The Order has a membership of twenty thousand, and declared its allegiance to the Zionist cause.
1917.
America. Conference of “Young Judeans.” One hundred and twenty-five delegates present, representing five thousand members. The “Young Judeans” collected 3500 dollars for the Jewish National Fund.
1917.
England. Union of Jewish Friendly Societies, comprising fifty thousand members, adopt the Basle programme.
Conference of the Order of Ancient Maccabeans, held at Manchester, July 17th. Membership of the Order 2200.
1917.
Canada. The Fifteenth Annual Conference of Canadian Zionists took place at Winnipeg in July. Delegates from seventy-seven towns, of three hundred and fourteen Jewish organizations, attended.
The Governor of Manitoba came to the Conference, and expressed his sympathy with Zionism.
1917.
Russia. Poalei Zion. Conference in Kiew—September 8th. More than one hundred and sixty delegates attended.
1917.
Greece. Salonica. Great Meeting, attended by three thousand persons at Salonica, on 9th of Ab.
1917.
America. The “Mizrachi” in America celebrated in August the Six-hundred-and-fiftieth Anniversary of the First Settlement in Palestine by R’ Moses ben Nachman (Ramban). The “Mizrachi” started a Fund of 100,000 dollars, to aid Colonization and Industrial Development in Palestine.
1917.
Poland. The Third Delegates’ Conference of the Zionist Organization in Poland was opened in Warsaw on October 28th, 1917. More than three hundred and sixty delegates attended, representing forty thousand shekel payers.
1917.
Poland. Fifth Conference of the “Poalei Zion” of Poland, was held in Warsaw. Over forty-four delegates, representing twenty-six towns, participated in the Conference. The Organization had forty-six district groups, with a membership of eight thousand.
1917.
America. September 5th. Conference of Rabbis resolved to appeal to various powers, particularly President Wilson, asking them to give their consideration to the question of the Restoration of Palestine to the Jewish people.
1917.
England. In October, Zionist Demonstrations took place all over the country. In seventy-one synagogues, one hundred and twenty-three lodges and associations, and in fifty-four Zionist societies, resolutions were passed requesting the British Government to use its best endeavours to bring about a Restoration of Palestine as a National Home for the Jewish people.
1917.
Holland. Congress of Jews resident in the Netherlands, held in Amsterdam on November 18th, for considering emancipation of Jews, recognition of national rights in national States, and national concentration of the Jewish people in Palestine.
One of the most popular of Zionist funds is the Jewish National Fund. This Fund is outside the realm of discussion, and deals exclusively with hard facts, i.e., financial contributions from all parts of the world. The Jewish National Fund is in a very real sense an index of the people’s will. It would seem that the terrible misery of the Jewish masses occasioned by so many expulsions, evacuations, and loss of life and property would have had the effect of, if not entirely cutting off this source of revenue, at least, seriously reducing it. In point of fact, the reverse is shown by the figures.
The income of the Fund during the last few months of the year 1914 and during the year 1915, was about two-thirds of the previous years. But in the year 1916 the National Fund received about 1,000,000 francs, which equals the amount in 1913. During the first half of 1917 the average monthly contributions were doubled. The latest date up to which exact figures for the various countries are available is September 1st, 1917. During the eight months from January to September, 1917, more than 1,300,000 francs had been recorded. During the last four months of the year approximately the same amount was received, that is, the contributions were doubled once more in relation to the immediately preceding rate. At the present moment the contributions to the National Fund amount to about 150,000 francs per month.
The results attained by the National Fund must be attributed to the general growth of the Zionist movement as well as to the effective organization of its propaganda, to the popularity of its fundamental idea—the acquisition of land as National property—and the importance attached by Jewry at large to the rôle that the National Fund will have to discharge in the forthcoming colonization of Palestine.
Contributions to the Jewish National Fund from the different countries in the year 1917 were as follows: Russia, Rbl. 475,312; United States, $73,502; Holland, Fl. 28,767; England, £1396 1s. 10d.; Argentina, Pesos 13,378; Canada, $4056; South Africa, £639 8s. 4d.; Switzerland, Frs. 11,572; Belgium, Frs. 8,329; France (including Tunis), Frs. 6,978; Egypt, £255 11s. 4d.; Greece, Frs. 6,425; Sweden, Kr. 2,542; Denmark, Kr. 2,447. Various countries, about Frs. 600,000. The total amounts to Frs. 1,747,278. At the rate of exchange before the war it would be Frs. 2,730,011.