Difference between revisions of "Glasgow Poale Zion"

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*1930 - 'The Workers’ Circle was not able to establish a Yiddish school in Glasgow, but Yiddish was not driven out of Jewish life in the city. It was still part of Jewish working class culture. At May rallies the Labour movement invited Yiddish speakers, they had done so since the beginning of the century and continued to do this in the 1930s. On another occasion, three speakers addressed an open air meeting of the [[Poale Zion]] in August 1930. Only one of them spoke in English: [[Misha Louvish]]. The meeting was conducted in Yiddish172. In a report on a convention in Leeds in 1933, the Glasgow representative of the Workers’ Circle was able to say that a “gratifying feature had been the prevalence of Yiddish, which was spoken and understood by young and old a l i k e . ” 173.<ref>Braber, p. 135</ref>
 
*1930 - 'The Workers’ Circle was not able to establish a Yiddish school in Glasgow, but Yiddish was not driven out of Jewish life in the city. It was still part of Jewish working class culture. At May rallies the Labour movement invited Yiddish speakers, they had done so since the beginning of the century and continued to do this in the 1930s. On another occasion, three speakers addressed an open air meeting of the [[Poale Zion]] in August 1930. Only one of them spoke in English: [[Misha Louvish]]. The meeting was conducted in Yiddish172. In a report on a convention in Leeds in 1933, the Glasgow representative of the Workers’ Circle was able to say that a “gratifying feature had been the prevalence of Yiddish, which was spoken and understood by young and old a l i k e . ” 173.<ref>Braber, p. 135</ref>
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*1935 - The Jewish Echo reported in 1935166 that during the election of 4 Glasgow representatives to the Zionist Congress in Lucerne, the [[General Zionists]] received 67.5% of the votes, [[Poale Zion]] 19.5% and the [[Mizrachi]] 13%.The British delegation consisted of 7 General Zionists, 3 Mizrachi members and 2 representatives from Poale Zion. At the Congress 450 delegates took part in the proceedings. During leadership elections at the Congress, the Poale Zion scored a victory with 57% of the votes. This suggests that the dominant element in Glasgow, as in Britain as a whole, consisted of the moderates, with the more extreme religious and Socialist elements in the
+
*1930s - 'The relation between Poale Zion and Labour in general was not always easy and the Zionist group did not follow Labour blindly, but serious problems arose for Poale Zion after the publication of the Labour government’s White Paper in 1930 which followed the troubles in Palestine and opposed to limit Jewish immigration into Palestine172. Although the Poale Zion and many Labour politicians quickly distanced themselves from the document, the White Paper was used as a stick to hit Poale Zion. The Jewish Echo started an anti-Labour campaign on the issue. While the Glasgow branch of the Jewish Agency, like the JNF a fundraising body in Glasgow with General Zionist leaders, was congratulated for their public support for an Unionist candidate in the East Renfrewshire by-election173in 1930, Poale Zion was accused when it supported a Labour candidate in the Whitechapel by-election during the same year. Poale Zion was blamed for supporting a Labour candidate rather than a Jewish Liberal who was known as a Zionist and therefore known as an opponent of the White Paper. Golombok, who followed the national Jewish Chronicle in his support for this Liberal Zionist, however omitted that the Labour candidate had stated that he would vote against the government if the White Paper was not amended, and it was not until after the Poale Zion had received this assurance that they gave him their support174. The affair led to some angry exchanges in the Jewish Echo. The issue brought [[Golombok]] into conflict with one of the most colourful local Poale Zion leaders. This was Dr. [[Lewis Rifkind]], a general practitioner who moved to Glasgow in 1932. Rifkind was born in 1892. He had been associated with the Poale Zion since his days at university in Edinburgh where he had met Dr. [[M.T. Mann]] (husband of WIZO-founder [[Selma Mann]]). In 1918 Rifkind wrote a rather utopian pamphlet called “Zionism and Socialism”175 for the organisation in which he based his hope for Jewish national autonomy on the help of the “future International” and the Jewish “masses” rather than on the Jewish establishment. After his studies he opened a medical practice in a mining village. By 1930 he wrote for the Jewish Leader using the pen-name “Label” and later switched to the Jewish Echo for which he wrote a column until he fell out with editor Golombok over the Poale Zion issue. Rifkind died on 24th December 1937, aged 45<ref>176</ref>.<ref>Braber, p.272-3.</ref>
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minority; unlike the balance as shown at the Zionist Congress. The State Party did not participate in the Glasgow elections. Although Jabotinsky remained a popular figure in Glasgow167, the influence of the State Party and revisionism in general appear to have been marginal prior to 1939. One of the Glasgow revisionists was [[Harry Furst]], a former member of [[Glasgow Poale Zion|Poale Zion]], who had served with Jabotinsky during the First World War in a Jewish army unit. He was
+
 
 +
*1935 - The Jewish Echo reported in 1935166 that during the election of 4 Glasgow representatives to the Zionist Congress in Lucerne, the [[General Zionists]] received 67.5% of the votes, [[Poale Zion]] 19.5% and the [[Mizrachi]] 13%.The British delegation consisted of 7 General Zionists, 3 Mizrachi members and 2 representatives from Poale Zion. At the Congress 450 delegates took part in the proceedings. During leadership elections at the Congress, the Poale Zion scored a victory with 57% of the votes. This suggests that the dominant element in Glasgow, as in Britain as a whole, consisted of the moderates, with the more extreme religious and Socialist elements in the minority; unlike the balance as shown at the Zionist Congress. The State Party did not participate in the Glasgow elections. Although Jabotinsky remained a popular figure in Glasgow167, the influence of the State Party and revisionism in general appear to have been marginal prior to 1939. One of the Glasgow revisionists was [[Harry Furst]], a former member of [[Glasgow Poale Zion|Poale Zion]], who had served with Jabotinsky during the First World War in a Jewish army unit. He was
 
joined by a small group of young people, including [[Harry Crivan]], a scientist who after the Second World War became President of the [[Glasgow Jewish Representative Council]]168.<ref>Braber, p. 271</ref>
 
joined by a small group of young people, including [[Harry Crivan]], a scientist who after the Second World War became President of the [[Glasgow Jewish Representative Council]]168.<ref>Braber, p. 271</ref>
 
*1940s - 'One of the great Zionist activists in Glasgow was [[Misha Louvish]], who was chairman of the [[Glasgow Poale Zion]] and who migrated to Israel in 1949.'<ref>https://www.jpost.com/magazine/jews-in-kilts-376195</ref>
 
*1940s - 'One of the great Zionist activists in Glasgow was [[Misha Louvish]], who was chairman of the [[Glasgow Poale Zion]] and who migrated to Israel in 1949.'<ref>https://www.jpost.com/magazine/jews-in-kilts-376195</ref>

Revision as of 14:58, 26 May 2025

  • 1930 - 'The Workers’ Circle was not able to establish a Yiddish school in Glasgow, but Yiddish was not driven out of Jewish life in the city. It was still part of Jewish working class culture. At May rallies the Labour movement invited Yiddish speakers, they had done so since the beginning of the century and continued to do this in the 1930s. On another occasion, three speakers addressed an open air meeting of the Poale Zion in August 1930. Only one of them spoke in English: Misha Louvish. The meeting was conducted in Yiddish172. In a report on a convention in Leeds in 1933, the Glasgow representative of the Workers’ Circle was able to say that a “gratifying feature had been the prevalence of Yiddish, which was spoken and understood by young and old a l i k e . ” 173.[1]
  • 1930s - 'The relation between Poale Zion and Labour in general was not always easy and the Zionist group did not follow Labour blindly, but serious problems arose for Poale Zion after the publication of the Labour government’s White Paper in 1930 which followed the troubles in Palestine and opposed to limit Jewish immigration into Palestine172. Although the Poale Zion and many Labour politicians quickly distanced themselves from the document, the White Paper was used as a stick to hit Poale Zion. The Jewish Echo started an anti-Labour campaign on the issue. While the Glasgow branch of the Jewish Agency, like the JNF a fundraising body in Glasgow with General Zionist leaders, was congratulated for their public support for an Unionist candidate in the East Renfrewshire by-election173in 1930, Poale Zion was accused when it supported a Labour candidate in the Whitechapel by-election during the same year. Poale Zion was blamed for supporting a Labour candidate rather than a Jewish Liberal who was known as a Zionist and therefore known as an opponent of the White Paper. Golombok, who followed the national Jewish Chronicle in his support for this Liberal Zionist, however omitted that the Labour candidate had stated that he would vote against the government if the White Paper was not amended, and it was not until after the Poale Zion had received this assurance that they gave him their support174. The affair led to some angry exchanges in the Jewish Echo. The issue brought Golombok into conflict with one of the most colourful local Poale Zion leaders. This was Dr. Lewis Rifkind, a general practitioner who moved to Glasgow in 1932. Rifkind was born in 1892. He had been associated with the Poale Zion since his days at university in Edinburgh where he had met Dr. M.T. Mann (husband of WIZO-founder Selma Mann). In 1918 Rifkind wrote a rather utopian pamphlet called “Zionism and Socialism”175 for the organisation in which he based his hope for Jewish national autonomy on the help of the “future International” and the Jewish “masses” rather than on the Jewish establishment. After his studies he opened a medical practice in a mining village. By 1930 he wrote for the Jewish Leader using the pen-name “Label” and later switched to the Jewish Echo for which he wrote a column until he fell out with editor Golombok over the Poale Zion issue. Rifkind died on 24th December 1937, aged 45[2].[3]
  • 1935 - The Jewish Echo reported in 1935166 that during the election of 4 Glasgow representatives to the Zionist Congress in Lucerne, the General Zionists received 67.5% of the votes, Poale Zion 19.5% and the Mizrachi 13%.The British delegation consisted of 7 General Zionists, 3 Mizrachi members and 2 representatives from Poale Zion. At the Congress 450 delegates took part in the proceedings. During leadership elections at the Congress, the Poale Zion scored a victory with 57% of the votes. This suggests that the dominant element in Glasgow, as in Britain as a whole, consisted of the moderates, with the more extreme religious and Socialist elements in the minority; unlike the balance as shown at the Zionist Congress. The State Party did not participate in the Glasgow elections. Although Jabotinsky remained a popular figure in Glasgow167, the influence of the State Party and revisionism in general appear to have been marginal prior to 1939. One of the Glasgow revisionists was Harry Furst, a former member of Poale Zion, who had served with Jabotinsky during the First World War in a Jewish army unit. He was

joined by a small group of young people, including Harry Crivan, a scientist who after the Second World War became President of the Glasgow Jewish Representative Council168.[4]

Notes

  1. ↑ Braber, p. 135
  2. ↑ 176
  3. ↑ Braber, p.272-3.
  4. ↑ Braber, p. 271
  5. ↑ https://www.jpost.com/magazine/jews-in-kilts-376195
  6. ↑ Jewish Echo 25th April 1941
  7. ↑ The Zionist Year Book, 1952-3, p.121-2.
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