Glasgow Zionist Central Council

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Glasgow Zionist Central Council dispute with Glasgow Friends of Peace Now, 1991.

Coordinating council of Zionist bodies in Glasgow

The Glasgow Zionist Central Council (GZCC), also reported as the Glasgow Zionist Council, was a council of Zionist organisations in Glasgow. A body of that name, chaired by Mr. Schenkin, was reported in the Jewish Chronicle in 1926.[1] In 1988 it hosted a farewell reception for Glasgow youth leaders going to Israel, addressed by the outgoing Jewish Agency shaliach.[2] In 1991 its vice-chairman, Kenneth Davidson, said that the council "was set up in 1984 with the express intention of encompassing all views".[3]

History

  • 1926 - A Glasgow Zionist Central Council was active, chaired by Mr. Schenkin. Schenkin spoke at a meeting of the Glasgow beacons of the Order of Ancient Maccabeans and presided over a conference of Zionist workers at Geneen's Restaurant, which elected a committee to prepare a Jewish National Fund bazaar in December.[1] See also Glasgow Commission of the Jewish National Fund.
  • 1935 (October) - After Poale Zion and then Mizrachi left the Glasgow Zionist Organisation following a tied vote on making it a non-party body, a new Glasgow Zionist Council was formed; see Glasgow Zionist Organisation.[4]
  • 1936 (June) - A memorial meeting for Nahum Sokolow was held under the auspices of the Glasgow Zionist Council.[5]
  • 1937 (October) - A public meeting was held under the auspices of the Glasgow Zionist Council with Mr B. Shenkin in the chair. Fred Nettler, J.P., was named as chairman of the local Zionist organisation.[6]
  • 1939 (October) - At a conference reported as "Glasgow Zionists Confer", Fred Nettler, J.P., presided and proposed an executive "under the heading of the Glasgow Zionist Council which had been formed earlier in the year".[7]
  • 1940 (March) - A Chalutz group was formed after a meeting of the Glasgow Zionist Council.[8]
  • 1943 (May) - The Glasgow Zionist Council held a Shekel campaign meeting, with Fred Nettler presiding.[9]
  • 1969 (October) - Modern Hebrew courses were run by the Glasgow Zionist Council and the WIZO Council.[10]
  • 1984 - The council was refounded. In 1991 its vice-chairman, Kenneth Davidson, said that it "was set up in 1984 with the express intention of encompassing all views".[3]
  • 1986 (December) - The Jewish Chronicle reported that a "Glasgow Zionist Council" was addressed by Mr Bar-Zohar.[11]
  • 1987 (March) - Kenneth Davidson, described as a "former council president", warned the "Glasgow Zionist Council" about a twinning.[12]
  • 1988 (September) - The Jewish Chronicle described the Glasgow Zionist Organisation as "part of the Glasgow Zionist Central Council" when reporting the GZO's advertisement calling on "Israel" to negotiate with the Palestine Liberation Organisation; see Glasgow Zionist Organisation.[13]
  • 1988 (September) - The council hosted a farewell reception for six Glasgow youth leaders going to "Israel", addressed by the community youth leader Steven Fine and the outgoing Jewish Agency shaliach, Benzion Yariv.[2]
  • 1989 - Listed with Stephen Cowan as chairman and Mrs L Shulman as hon. secretary.[14]
  • 1991 (December) - The council's meeting "What Price Peace — Is Israel Being Sold Down The River?"; see below.[3]
  • 1992-93 - Listed c/o the Glasgow Jewish Resource Centre, telephone 041 620 2194, with Stephen Cowan as chairman and Mrs D Zolkwer as hon. secretary. The Glasgow Zionist Organisation was listed separately, at 43 Queen Square, with Nigel Allon as chairman.[15][16]

Background

The Jewish Virtual Library describes how joint Zionist councils came about in Britain under the rules of the Zionist Organisation:

The revised statutes of the Zionist Organization passed by the Tenth Zionist Congress (1911) permitted the establishment of so-called Sonderverbaende (separate unions), in addition to the existing territorial organizations, on the condition that every Sonderverband numbered at least 3,000 shekel-buying members and that it professed special views on Zionist work. The Order of Ancient Maccabeans applied for this status, and though its claim was opposed by the English Zionist Federation, the order prevailed. In 1912 the Zionist Executive decided in favor of the order's status as Sonderverband on the condition that a Joint Zionist Council be formed, comprising representatives of both the order and the federation. In the 1930s, however, the order lost its special status.[17]

The 1926 Glasgow council's chairman spoke at a meeting of the Glasgow beacons of the Order of Ancient Maccabeans.[1]

1991 dispute with Peace Now

In 1991 a GZCC meeting entitled "What Price Peace — Is Israel Being Sold Down The River?" drew an audience of 200. Nigel Allon of Glasgow Peace Now, who was also chairman of the Glasgow Zionist Organisation, criticised the council. In reply, Kenneth Davidson said the council had been set up in 1984 "with the express intention of encompassing all views", and the chairman, Stephen Cowan, said: "I am delighted that Peace Now is affiliated to the GZCC."[3]

Jewish Chronicle, 30 September 1988, p. 9.

People

Officers

1980s-90s

1926

MEETINGS IN GLASGOW.

Mr. I. Samunov, the Treasurer of the Central Office for Great Britain, visited Glasgow on Sunday. In the morning he addressed a conjoint meeting of the Jehuda Maccabee, Leo Pinsker, and Bnei Jacob, Beacons of the Order of Ancient Maccabeans. The respective Commanders pledged the support of their Beacons for National Fund work, and a number of volunteers were enrolled. Mr. Schenkin, the Chairman of the Glasgow Zionist Central Council also spoke. Thanks were accorded to Mr. Samunov on the motion of Mr. Shafter, supported by Mr. Balkind.
Mr. Schenkin presided over a conference of Zionist workers held in the afternoon at Geneen's Restaurant. Mr. Samunov addressed the con-terence, and appealed for the support of the ladies. A Committee was elected to make the preliminary arrangements for a Jewish National Fund bazaar to be held in Glasgow in Deeember. Mr. S. S. Samuel, J.P. moved, and the Rev. D. Jacobs seconded, a vote of thanks to the speaker. A public meeting was hold at the Jewish National Institute in the evening. Mr. A. I. Sunderland presided, and Mr. Samunov delivered an address on 'Zionism and its Influence on the Galuth.' Thanks were conveyed to the lecturer by Mr. Louvish and Mr. A. Haase.[1]

Members

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Jewish Chronicle, 30 April 1926, p. 26.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Jewish Chronicle, 30 September 1988, p. 9.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 Albert Benjamin, "Zionists divide on debate demand", The Jewish Chronicle, 27 December 1991.
  4. ↑ Ben Braber, Integration of Jewish immigrants in Glasgow, 1880–1939, PhD thesis, University of Glasgow, 1992, p. 276, citing Jewish Echo, 18 October, 1 November and 6 December 1935.
  5. ↑ Jewish Chronicle, 5 June 1936, p. 16.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Jewish Chronicle, 1 October 1937, p. 26.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Jewish Chronicle, 13 October 1939, p. 18.
  8. ↑ Jewish Chronicle, 15 March 1940, p. 24.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Jewish Chronicle, 7 May 1943, p. 10.
  10. ↑ Jewish Chronicle, 3 October 1969, p. 20.
  11. ↑ Jewish Chronicle, 5 December 1986, p. 6.
  12. ↑ Jewish Chronicle, 6 March 1987, p. 44.
  13. ↑ Jewish Chronicle, 9 September 1988, p. 112.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 The Jewish Year Book, 1989, p. 137.
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 The Jewish Year Book, 1992, p. 155.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 The Jewish Year Book, 1993, p. 158.
  17. ↑ "Maccabeans, Order of Ancient", Jewish Virtual Library, accessed 28 October 2026.
  18. ↑ Jewish Chronicle, 19 May 1995, p. 27.
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