competition amongst themselves but also consolidated their economic strength. | The Economic Council consisted of 1,700 artisans, 800 small businessmen and 600 merchants. The various segments of the economy banded into smaller groups, including the industrial “‘Farband,” the Textile Manu- facturers Association, the Merchants Association, the Small Businessmen’s Association, the Artisans Associa- tion, and the Butchers Association. Bialystok contained a number of banks and lend- ing institutions, some of which were founded in 1901. These banks made it possible for the various industries and small businesses to obtain capital at reasonable rates of interest in order to strengthen the city’s economy. The Jewish Press in Bialystok The Jewish press in Bialystok, in addition to the well- known daily newspaper, Das Neue Leben-Unzer Leben, developed as follows: The Volksblatt, a daily newspaper, first appeared in the summer of 1919, published by the Zionist organiza- tion. Circulated for two months. Bialystoker Stimme, a weekly, first appeared in 1924. Existed for a year and a half. Bialystoker Yiddisher Courier. First a daily, then a weekly. Lasted for a short time. Bialystoker Telegraph. First published in 1927 ona daily basis. Existed for a few months. Neue Bialystoker Stimme. A weekly established in 1929. Published more than two hundred editions, then folded. Bialystoker Handelszeitung, a business paper pub- lished every Friday. Unzer Spiegel, a weekly family magazine. Bialystoker Express Unzer Zeitung Der Wecker, a weekly publication of the Bundist organization in Bialystok. Unzer Weg, a weekly published by the Zionist Organization in Bialystok. The two foregoing newspa- pers were not published on a regular basis. The only daily newspaper, which overcame all the difficulties during a period of twenty consecutive years, promoting the spiritual evolution of the Jewish com- munity in Bialystok, was Unzer Leben. Its Chief Editor, Pejsach Kaplan, deserved much of the credit for the success of this publication. A. Berezinski, J. Rubinlicht, M. Goldman, Co-Editors; J.L. Szacki, Member, Edito- rial Board; B. Gutman, Chairman, ‘‘Press’’ Printers; B. Rubin, Administrator; R. Rajzner, Ch. Matinko and W. Rajser, Members, Administrative Board; W. Sulkes, Proofreader. Bialystoker Leksikon — began in 1935. Published biographies of leading Bialystoker Jews. Edited by Pej- sach Kaplan, J. Szacki, M. Goldman, A. Zbar and A. Berezinski. 40 Other cultural organizations in Bialystok before World War II included the Jewish Society for Writers and Journalists, whose leading members were: A. Albek, A. Berezinski, M.M. Berch, M. Goldman, J. Warszawski, C. Wider, Ch. Wisocki, M. Wisocki, N. Zabludowski, A. Zbar, A. Tryzanowicz, L. Tresz- czanski, B. Tabaczynski, S. Lampert, J. Lis, Dr. J. Lukaczewski, S. Lew, D. Sapir, A. Amiel, L. Fajans, J. Furje, A. Fejgin, P. Kaplan, L. Rozental, J. Rubinlicht, J. Ruzanski, J.L. Szacki, J.N. Sztejnsapir, J. Szapiro and N. Szejnbrun. In 1939, M. Wadias was chairman. There were also a Jewish Bookstore and a dramatic workshop founded in 1906 by Jakow Tapicer, Ana Horodiszcez, J.A. Bacer, J. Goldszmidt, Sapersztejn, Ana Mirkin, Dora Mowszowicz, and Solowejczyk. The chairman was Dr. Hurwic. | Fine art came into full bloom beginning in 1924. The most popular painter in Bialystok was Ben-Zion Rabinowicz (Benn), who began his work in his father’s attic. His art exhibits in Bialystok, Warsaw and Wilno in the years from 1927 to 1930 brought him much suc- cess. In 1930, he left Bialystok for Paris on a stipend from the Bialystok Municipal Government. His first paintings, signed “‘Benn,”’ placed him in the forefront of the Parisian artists. During the war years, when the Germans occupied France, Benn hid in a cellar and continued his art work there. After France’s liberation, his popularity increased even more. His painting, 1 6 Megillah” received critical acclaim from French review- ers. In 1960, he completed his ‘“‘Illustrations of the Psalms,” which made him famous throughout the world. There were a number of other artists from Bia- lystok who also achieved celebrity. Bialystok had a chess club. In 1926, the first chess tournaments took place. Aron Zabludowski became the master chess player. The Jews of Bialystok in the years before World War 11 established social and relief institutions that were important to large segments of their community. Among them were: