THE RISE OF ZIONISM The Jewish community of Bialystok made a great con- tribution to the development of the Chovevei Zion movement. Bialystok was a great center of Zionism, where a multiplicity of parties sprouted forth. The goal of the earliest Chovevei Zion leaders in Bialystok, as elsewhere, was to encourage Jews to settle in Israel, as well as to establish Jewish colonies there. The Zionists substantially influenced the local Jew- ish community, particularly the well-to-do. This was evident in the growing interest of Jews to learn and speak Hebrew. A number of Hebrew teachers, for whom there was an ever-increasing demand, were earn- ing good livelihoods teaching the Hebrew language. Another manifestation of the Zionist influence was the rising popularity of the newspaper Hatzfirah, a Hebrew publication with a circulation of four hundred in Bialystok. The Chovevei Zion party, precursor of the Zionist movement, was founded in June 1882. Its organizers included Josef Binjomin Krynski, Cwi Hirsz Liberman, Dr. Josef Chazanowicz, Jakow Alter Sapersztejn, Pej- sach Witenberg, Jehoszua Heszel Klementynowski, Kal- man Pikus, Shabsaj Rudkowski, Chaim Margolis, Jehuda Josef Jelin, Jechiel Goldsztejn, Awrom Lejbo- wicz, Menachem Mendel Kreczmer, Izchok Jafe, Isroel Chaim Sztimer, Ben-Cion Lyfszic, Don Lewin, Lipa Kaganowicz, Cwi Jehuda Brajnski, and Simcha Bunim Halewi Hurwic. The first meeting was held in Jakow Sapersztejn’s house in the synagogue court in Bialystok. The second assembly, which attracted a much larger turnout, took place in Dr. Josef Chazanowicz’s home. Several top Zionist figures in Bialystok, such as Dr. Chazanowicz, Rabbi Meir Markus, Jakow Wolf, Josef Binjomin Krynski and others quickly took the helm of this movement. In a short time, the party was able to recruit the support of several hundred members. Not surprisingly, its impact on the Jewish community as a whole deepened as time went on. Rabbi Szmuel Mohi- lewer was appointed a rabbi of Bialystok, thanks to the clout of the Chovevei Zion party. In fact, Rabbi Mohilewer later became the standard-bearer of the movement. The Zionist wave in Bialystok encouraged the founding of Chovevei Zion organizations in other com- munities. A convention of these groups was called in Druskeniki, and Odessa was selected as the center for the Zionist cause. In 1890 the Russian government for- mally recognized the Chovevei Zion organization under the name of ‘Society to Support Jewish Land Workers in Syria and Palestine.” At the 1890 convention in Odessa, the Bialystoker delegates were Rabbi Mohi- lewer, Dr. Chazanowicz and Izchok Ajzik Ben Towim. After the conference they traveled to Israel to see the work of the first Jewish pioneers. 10 Rabbi Mohilewer’s guiding purpose was to estab- lish a stable Zionist organization in Russia. To this end, he arranged for a meeting in Bialystok in the spring of 1897, attended by about fifty people, many of whom were well-known Chovevei Zion members. At this gath- ering the constitution for the Zionist organization in Russia was adopted, which was later to play a major role in the overall movement. Various cities were assigned different tasks in furthering Zionism: Bialystok would be the spiritual center, Kiev the financial capital, Kishinev the mailing headquarters and Warsaw the literary and propaganda mecca. In May 1898, Rabbi Szmuel Mohilewer died. After his death, Bialystok made the transition from the theoretical to the practical Zionism espoused by Dr. Theodor Herzl. Zionist circles won new leaders and dedicated activists who, on a broad scale, began pro- mulgating Zionism throughout Bialystok. This philos- ophy also attracted many young Jews, who initiated new theoretical departures, resulting in many Zionist- oriented clubs with a rich agenda of ideas and goals. All the familiar languages, Yiddish, Hebrew and Russian, were used to encourage Bialystoker Jews to settle in Israel. Numerous meetings, assemblies and dis- cussions were held. Each faction lobbied for its view of the direction Zionism should take. Ultimately, a number of Jews left Bialystok to live in Israel. These Jews from different. backgrounds became important pioneers. Bialystoker Jews built many important industries and in general assisted in developing the land. Today a number of Bialystoker landsleit occupy important positions in the Israeli government. Some have also distinguished themselves as military heroes. Until the outbreak of World War II, Bialystok was the scene of a well-organized Zionist movement with various groups following diverse ideologies. This plural- ism thrived in Bialystok until the Holocaust destroyed its Jewish community. DOOQOCOSOOCOCSOOCOLOOCOOCOCQOOCCC OOOO OOO OLS, TELL THE NEW GENERATIONS OF THE HOLOCAUST AND RESISTANCE The Bialystoker Memorial Book