JEWS IN THEIR NEW HOME (Editor’s note: The following letter, sent to the Bialy- stoker Center in New York after World War I, des- cribes the intial efforts of Bialystoker Jews in Israel to found a central Jandsmanschaft organization. The letter was written by the “‘Bialystoker Center in Israel,” fore- runner of the Irgun Yotzei Bialystok.) Dear Landsleit: In recent years many families from Bialystok arrived in Israel during the fourth Aliyah. The reason for this massive influx was that Bialystokers, always lovers of Zion, dedicated themselves to settling in Israel from the time of the late Rabbi Szmuel Mohilewer. Israel is very dear to us despite all the difficulties we encountered. The situation in Bialystok deteriorated, robbing its inhabitants of any hope and discouraging Bialystokers who emigrated to Israel from returning to our hometown. Love for Israel is deeply rooted in our hearts and our only hope is to remain here; those who returned to Bialystok regretted their hasty move. We must find ways to support those who settle in Israel permanently and to bring increased bounty to this land. Our first order of business is to establish a loan fund for our Jandsleit, who with modest loans could start small businesses that require only minor amounts of capital. By lending each applicant several hundred dollars, we could save many from bankruptcy. We can- not stress enough that this loan fund must be started immediately. We must spare our brethren financial ruin. Second, we must raise funds to teach our kinsmen a trade. Many J/andsleit are silk manufacturers or fac- tory workers. The majority of the youth are school- children, and those who possess a trade are unsuitable for work in Israel; their skills are in no great demand. That is why we must help them learn jobs that the land requires. It will take them approximately four months to develop new abilities, during which we must pay for their vocational training and maintain them. Afterward, they will support themselves. These funds will be lent to them and they will have to repay the loans according to a fixed schedule. In order to ease severe unemployment, we must expand the wool-processing industry, a Bialystok spe- cialty. We will introduce weaving machines that can employ hundreds of our families. Upholstery is a second industry in demand here that interests people from Bialystok. Unfortunately, we cannot purchase the necessary equipment with our own resources. We depend on assistance from abroad. We could import these machines from Bialystok at relatively little expense. There is a building available here that would make a good wool factory. This building and all the 184 equipment would be controlled and operated by Bialy- stokers in Israel, with the consent of our benefactors. In order to make this project possible, we have established a center for Bialystoker Jews in Israel to unite our /andsleit living here according to the following principles: 1. Assist our brethren to settle in the land and to earn a living; 2. Take steps to obtain government approval for a Bialystoker bank that will finance our efforts in business, labor and agriculture; 3. Form a credit union that will make interest-free loans to assist small businessmen and farmers; 4. Finance home construction; 5. Support those who wish to learn a trade; 6. Remain in contact with Bialystokers in other countries. We await assistance from our Jandsleit to whom this letter is addressed. Sincerely, Bialystoker Center in Israel CHAIM ISRAELI ZALMAN YERUSHALMI — ONE OF THE PIONEERS One of the most beloved Bialystoker pioneers in Israel is Zalman Yerushalmi. He was born in March 1899 to Rochel and Gedalja Jerusalimski. His father was one of the first rope manufacturers in Bialystok; he began his business in 1870. Zalman studied in Bialystok and abroad, but as a young lad became involved in his father’s business. Thanks to his personal acumen, he succeeded in expanding the concern. In September 1924, Zalman married Rochel Judkowski-Repelski. From his early youth, Zalman was active in the Zionist movement, and in 1925 he and his family settled in Israel. At that time, people arrived in Israel with ambi- tious plans but found life more difficult than expected. Despite such obstacles, Zalman Yerushalmi demon- strated boundless determination as an industrialist, developer and entrepreneur. He resolved to continue his father’s achievements. Zalman improved manufacturing methods by introducing innovations developed in other lands. He faced all difficulties courageously, working together with his brother, Chaim, also an ambitious business- man. The Yerushalm: brothers became popular in Israel, inspiring others to follow in their footsteps. The Bialystoker Memorial Book