Order of Ancient Maccabeans

The order was:

a friendly benefit society in Britain whose members are Zionists. Founded in 1896 by Ephraim Ish-Kishor and registered under the Friendly Societies' Act, the Order of Ancient Maccabeans still exists. Its aims are those of all British friendly societies, namely, to assist members in distress, provide free medical aid, etc. Its special character is laid down in its rules concerning membership: all persons "of the Jewish faith who declare themselves adherents to the Zionist Movement" can become members. From its inception the order was a firm supporter of Zionism, contributed to its various funds, and became a champion of practical Zionist work in Ereẓ Israel. In 1914 a Maccabean Land Company was founded to enable its shareholders to acquire land in Ereẓ Israel. The organization of the order displays masonic features. A grand beacon and high degree council supervise its work; branches are called beacons, of which there are 25 (there once were beacons in Palestine as well); the principal officers are called grand commander, grand treasurer, and grand secretary. Members are called upon to obey the decisions of their order and are forbidden to inform nonmembers of the order's activities.

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. Prominent members of the order were Herbert Bentwich, who served as grand commander; Chaim Weizmann, who represented the order at Congresses; and Selig Brodetsky, who served as grand commander. In 2004 its president was Sir Ian Gainsford. Its papers from the 1890s to 1964 are held at the Parkes Library, Southampton University.^[1]

According to the Zionist Year Book of 1951-52: ORDER OF ANCIENT MACCABEANS.

Central Offices: Maccabean House, sl, Bellott St., Manchester.
Tel.: COLLyhurst 1832.
This Order was established in 1891 in London ,and is particularly linked with the Zionist Movement. It has a membership of over 1,900 and a capital of over £13,000. It is approved under the National Health Insurance Act, and has a State membership of 2,361. The Order has twenty-two Beacons (branches).
- Grand Commander-Morris Wilks.
Dep. Grand CommandersI. E. Gilbey and H. Cohen.
Gen. Sec.A. H. Freeman.
Grand T.- S. S. Asser.^[2]

Beacons

Mount Zion Beacon No. 1 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - London^[3]
Mt. Hermon Erez Yisroel Beacon No. 2 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - Liverpool^[4]
Mount Lebanon Beacon No. 3 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - Manchester
Mount Ezra Beacon No. 4 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - London ^[5]^[6]
Rabbi Jehuda Halavey Beacon, No. 5 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - Merthyr Tydfil^[7]
Jochanan Hammachbi Beacon No. 6 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - Belfast - established 1910^[8]
Hadassah Ladies Beacon No 6. Order of Ancient Maccabeans Belfast was established in 1929,
Belfast Junior Ha-Chalutz Beacon Order of Ancient Maccabeans
Mount Zeisim Beacon No. 7 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - Hull/Grimsby
Mount Sinai Massodah Beacon No. 8 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - Leeds^[9]
Mount Horeb Beacon No. 9 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - Manchester
Mount Carmel Beacon No. 10 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - Dublin
Don Isaac Abarbanel and Rabbi Isaac Elchonon Beacon No. 11 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - Manchester^[10]
Leo Pinsker Beacon No. 12 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - Glasgow
Massodah Beacon No. 13 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - Leeds
Mattathias Beacon No. 14 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - Manchester
Judas Maccabeus Beacon No. 15 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - Glasgow
Mount Pisgah Beacon No. 16 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - Sunderland^[11]
Simon Maccabeus Beacon No. 17 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - Sheffield.^[12]
Mount Ephraim Beacon No. 18 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - Nottingham^[13]
Theodor Herzl Beacon No. 19 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - Birmingham
Mount Moriah Beacon No. 20 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - Edinburgh - Junior Beacon formed in 1921.^[14]^[15]
Mount Gilead Beacon No. 21 Ancient Order of Maccabeans - Newcastle - founded by 1921.^[16]
Bar Kochba Beacon No. 22 Ancient Order of the Maccabeans - Cardiff established by 1936
Rabbi Akiba Beacon No.23 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - Swansea^[10]
Modin Beacon No. 24 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - Manchester (Later Modin and Judith)
Bnei Jacob Beacon No. 25 of the Order of Ancient Maccabeans - Glasgow
Mizpah Beacon No. 26 Ancient Order of Maccabeans - Manchester ^[17]^[18]
Mount Tabor Beacon No. 27 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - London^[19]
Mount Nebo Erez Yisrael No. 28 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - Liverpool
Rechobot Beacon No. 29 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - Manchester
Rabbi Jehuda Halevi Beacon No. 30 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - Bradford ^[20]^[21]
Mount Gerizim Beacon No. 31 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - London ^[5]^[10]^[22] Dissolved 30 June 1977.^[23]
Beacon No. 32 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - ^[24]
Beacon No. 33 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - ^[25]
King David Beacon No.34 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - Manchester^[10]
Beacon No. 35 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - ^[26]
Beacon No. 36 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - ^[27]
Mount Hermon Juniors Beacon No. 37 of the Order of Ancient Maccabeans - Liverpool (Liverpool Young Maccabeans)^[28]
Beacon No. 38 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - ^[29]
Joseph Trumpeldor Beacon No. 39 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - Glasgow.^[30]^[31]
Beacon No. 40 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - ^[32]*
Beacon No. 41 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - ^[33]*
Mitzpah Beacon No. 42 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - Newcastle founded by 1933. (JC says No. 42.^[34])
Maccabee Beacon No. 43 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - Glasgow^[35]
Beacon No. 44 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - ^[36]
Beacon No. 45 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - ^[37]
Beacon No. 46 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - ^[38]*
Herbert Bentwich Memorial Beacon No. 47 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - ^[39]*
Lawrence Simmons Mo. 48 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - Manchester^[10]
Beacon No. 49 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - ^[40]
Beacon No. 50 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - ^[41]
Rev. Raffolovitch Beacon No.51 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - Manchester^[10]
Beacon No. 52 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - ^[42]
Beacon No. 53 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - ^[43]
Sisters of the Covenant Beacon No.54 Order of Ancient Maccabeans - Sheffield^[10] Joined the Sheffield Jewish Representative Council in 1952.^[44]^[45]. Closed in 1977: 'The disbanding of the Sheffield branch of the Sisters of the Covenant Beacon means that Sheffield has lost its last Jewish friendly society. Between the wars, when friendly societies were flourishing, Sheffield had three—the Ancient Order of Maccabeans, the Grand Order of Israel and the Sisters of the Covenant Beacon. First to go was the GOI.The branch of the Maccabeans re-mained in existence until somefour years ago. The ladies beaconcontinued until recently, when its membership dropped to six andit was decided there was littlepurpose in keeping it going. Thelast commander was Mrs BlemaLauder'.^[46]

Additional Beacons

Levison Lodge Order of Ancient Maccabeans Sheffield
Kadimah Beacon No. ?? Order of Ancient Maccabeans -Liverpool^[47]^[48]
Deborah Beacon No. ?? Order of Ancient Maccabeans - London Ladies branch^[49]^[50]

1947 - Jewish Year Book

According to the Jewish Year book of 1947^[51]: ORDER OF ANCIENT MACCABEANS. This Order established in 1891 in London, and is particularly linked with the Zionist movement. It has a membership of over 1,900 and a capital of over £13,000. It is approved under the National Health Insurance Act, and has a State membership of 2,361. The Order has twenty-two Beacons (branches).

CENTRAL OFFICES: Maccabean House, 137 Cheetham Hill Rd., Manchester, 8. T.: Blackfriars 3769.
– I. M. Sieff, B.Comm., F.R.E.S.
Grand Commander S. Brodetsky M.A., B.Sc., Ph.D.
Dep. Grand Commanders
Grand T.- S. S. Asher. Gen. Sec.— A. H. Freeman.

BEACONS (The name and address of the Secretary are given)

Mount Hermon Erez Yisroel and Theodor Herzl No. 2 I. Bender, 32 Sandon St., Liverpool, 8.
Mt. Lebanon No. 3. S. Phillips, 62 Smedley Lane, Manchester.
Jochanan Hammachbi No. 6. S. Morris, 6 Ashfield Cres., Antrim Rd., Belfast.
Mt. Sinai Massodah No. 8. Mrs. S. Gould, 42 Methley Drive, Leeds.
Mt. Horeb No. 9. J. G. Schwalbe, 7 Greenstead Ave., Manchester, 8.
Mt. Carmel No. 10. M. Green, 1a Grosvenor Rd., Rathgar, Dublin.
Don Isaac Abarbanel No. 11. J. G. Schwalbe, 7 Greenstead Ave., Manchester, 8.
Mattathias Rechoboth No. 14. A. H. Freeman, 47 Bellott St., Manchester.
Judas Maccabeus No. 15. Miss S. Tabatsky, 89 Warwick St., Glasgow, C.3.
Mt. Pisgah No. 16. A. H. Freeman, 137 Cheetham Hill Rd., Manchester.
Simon Maccabeus No. 17. J. Berman, 9 Steade Rd., Sheffield.
Mt. Ephraim No. 18 Mrs. B. Brooker, 102 Goldsmith St., Nottingham.
Mt. Moriah No. 20. A. H. Freeman, 137 Cheetham Hill Rd, Manchester.
Mt. Gilead No. 21, S. Abrahams, 254 Westgate Rd., Newcastle-on-Tyne.
Bar Kochba No. 22. L. Weisbard, 56 Frederick St., Cardiff.
Rabbi Akiba No. 23. M. Flemhood 3 Stockwell villas, Heathfield Road, Swansea.
Modin and Judith No. 24. A. H. Freeman, 47 Bellott St., Manchester.
Jehudah Halevy No. 30. N. Ashton, 86 Tennyson Place, Bradford.
Mt. Gerizim No. 31. I. E. Ginsberg, 31 Morford Way, Eastcote, Middlesex.
King David No. 34. J. G. Schwalbe, 7 Greenstead Ave., Manchester, 8
Mt. Hermon Juniors No. 37 (Liverpool). A. H. Freeman, 137 Cheetham Hill Rd., Manchester.
Herbert Bentwich Memorial No. 47. A. Berniger, Manor Rd., London, N.16.^[52]

People

Abraham Links | J. Sragowitz | I. Levenson

Notes

↑ https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/maccabeans-order-of-ancient
↑ p. 56
↑ JC 13 February 1920
↑ 21-04-1939
↑ ^5.0 ^5.1 https://archives.ucl.ac.uk/calmview/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=GASTER%2F9%2F1%2FM%2FMACCABAEANS%2FBEACONS
↑ JC 13 February 1920
↑ https://papuraunewydd.llyfrgell.cymru/view/3815301/3815307
↑ ajpcglclefindmkaj/https://pureadmin.qub.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/559700455/Jewish_Identity_and_Community_in_Belfast_1920-1948.pdf
↑ JC, 19 November 1920.
↑ ^10.0 ^10.1 ^10.2 ^10.3 ^10.4 ^10.5 ^10.6 https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/h/e391d57b-b08b-47a2-9996-c76b59782f5d
↑ https://www.northeastmuseums.org.uk/archives/files/7091-records-of-the-jewish-community.pdf
↑ Mr. Wilks presented the Morris Wilks trophy to Mr. S. Rosenberg, Commanderof the Simon-Maccabeus Beacon No. 17.Sheffield, which had enrolled the largest number of members-during the past year.The annual report of the Order states that the membership at the end of 1952 was 960. compared with 1,040 at the end of 1951.JC,12-06-1953.
↑ JC, 23-04-1948
↑ JC, 21-10-1921
↑ JC, 02-01-1920
↑ https://unejh.humap.site/map/records/order-of-ancient-maccabeans-mount-gilead-beacon
↑ JC, 28-02-1913.
↑ JC, 22-11-1912
↑ JC 13 February 1920
↑ JC, 27 January 1933.
↑ JC, 09-10-1914
↑ JC 13 February 1920
↑ JC, 15-04-1977
↑ ?
↑ ?
↑ ?
↑ ?
↑ JC, 16 February 1940.
↑ ?
↑ Jewish Echo - Friday 01 February 1929
↑ Published: Friday 07 December 1928 Newspaper: Jewish Echo
↑ ?
↑ ?
↑ 14 February 1930
↑ Jewish Echo - Friday 22 June 1934
↑ ?
↑ ?
↑ ?
↑ Jewish Year Book, 1947, p. 86.
↑ ?
↑ ?
↑ ?
↑ ?
↑ JC, 11-07-1952
↑ JC, 10-10-1975
↑ JC, 10-06-1977
↑ Liverpool Courier and Commercial Advertiser - Friday 17 March 1911
↑ JC, 12-01-1912
↑ Jewish World - Friday 10 July 1903
↑ Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper - Sunday 30 March 1902
↑ <p. 85-6
↑ p. 85-6

[1] ttps://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/maccabeans-order-of-ancient

[2] . 56

[3] JC 13 February 1920

[4] 21-04-1939

[UCL-5] 5.0 ^5.1 https://archives.ucl.ac.uk/calmview/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=GASTER%2F9%2F1%2FM%2FMACCABAEANS%2FBEACONS

[6] JC 13 February 1920

[7] ttps://papuraunewydd.llyfrgell.cymru/view/3815301/3815307

[Belfast-8] ↑ ajpcglclefindmkaj/https://pureadmin.qub.ac.uk/ws/portalfiles/portal/559700455/Jewish_Identity_and_Community_in_Belfast_1920-1948.pdf

[9] JC, 19 November 1920.

[Manchesterarchives-10] 10.0 ^10.1 ^10.2 ^10.3 ^10.4 ^10.5 ^10.6 https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/h/e391d57b-b08b-47a2-9996-c76b59782f5d

[11] ttps://www.northeastmuseums.org.uk/archives/files/7091-records-of-the-jewish-community.pdf

[12] Mr. Wilks presented the Morris Wilks trophy to Mr. S. Rosenberg, Commanderof the Simon-Maccabeus Beacon No. 17.Sheffield, which had enrolled the largest number of members-during the past year.The annual report of the Order states that the membership at the end of 1952 was 960. compared with 1,040 at the end of 1951.JC,12-06-1953.

[13] JC, 23-04-1948

[14] JC, 21-10-1921

[15] JC, 02-01-1920

[16] ttps://unejh.humap.site/map/records/order-of-ancient-maccabeans-mount-gilead-beacon

[17] JC, 28-02-1913.

[18] JC, 22-11-1912

[19] JC 13 February 1920

[20] JC, 27 January 1933.

[21] JC, 09-10-1914

[22] JC 13 February 1920

[23] JC, 15-04-1977

[24] ?

[25] ?

[26] ?

[27] ?

[28] JC, 16 February 1940.

[29] ?

[30] Jewish Echo - Friday 01 February 1929

[31] Published: Friday 07 December 1928 Newspaper: Jewish Echo

[32] ?

[33] ?

[34] 14 February 1930

[35] Jewish Echo - Friday 22 June 1934

[36] ?

[37] ?

[38] ?

[39] Jewish Year Book, 1947, p. 86.

[40] ?

[41] ?

[42] ?

[43] ?

[44] JC, 11-07-1952

[45] JC, 10-10-1975

[46] JC, 10-06-1977

[47] Liverpool Courier and Commercial Advertiser - Friday 17 March 1911

[48] JC, 12-01-1912

[49] Jewish World - Friday 10 July 1903

[50] Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper - Sunday 30 March 1902

[51] <p. 85-6

[52] . 85-6

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Order of Ancient Maccabeans

Contents

Beacons

Additional Beacons

1947 - Jewish Year Book

People

Notes

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