Jewish National Movement Committee

Kenneth Collins writes:

Despite Nathaniel Jacobs' public anti-Zionist sentiments Glasgow Jewry's commitment to the Zionist movement and its ideals was solid and the only opposition could be found in certain circles at Garnethill, led by the Heilbronn family. Although the Glasgow Bnei Zion had been somewhat eclipsed during the war years the leadership in the Zionist movement in Glasgow passed to a new organisation the Jewish National Movement Committee which had been founded in January 1915. The flagging of the Bnei Zion prompted the Zionist friendly society, the Order of Ancient Maccabeans, to convene a conference in Glasgow presided over by Abraham Links and to wnich Dr. Fox from Liverpool was invited to strengthen the organisation of Zionist activity in the city.

The Jewish National Movement Committee took a major initiative in May 1916 when it decided to rent the former building of the Hutchesons' Girls Grammar School which had moved to larger premises nearby in Kingarth Street. The former school building in Elgin Street, at the southern edge of the Gorbals, had been considered by other Jewish organisations such as the Talmud Torah but it seemed at the time to be outwith their financial ability. The building, renamed the Jewish National Institute and rented for the annual sum of £170, contained a full range of classrooms and meeting rooms as well as a hall and library facilities. It was therefore ideal for use by the Zionist organisations and gave them the opportunity of setting up their own literary section and Bet Sepher, or Hebrew language school.