Analysis of Western Jewry and Zionist Project, 1914-1933 by Berkowitz

This report provides a detailed summary of Michael Berkowitz's book, "Western Jewry and the Zionist Project, 1914-1933." The book examines the relationship between Western Jews (primarily in the USA, Germany, and Britain) and the Zionist movement during the inter-war years. Berkowitz explores the motivations of Western Jewry's involvement, viewing Zionism as a "supplemental nationality" that offered ethnic pride and solidarity. The report covers key themes, including the ideological struggles within the movement, the portrayal of Zionist leaders (such as Herzl, Weizmann, and Szold), and the role of organizations like Hadassah and Keren Hayesod. It also delves into the Brandeis-Weizmann controversy and the contributions of women leaders. The analysis highlights the successes and shortcomings of the Zionist movement, particularly the challenges of fundraising and internal conflicts, while acknowledging its significance in shaping Jewish identity and sociability in the diaspora. The report is based on the original text and includes the reference list provided in the source material.

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Summary of
Western Jewry and the Zionist
Project, 1914-1933: Michael Berkowitz

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Summary of Part 1
This book of Michael Berkowitz is principally based on the study that distinguishes between two
groups of Jews who call themselves the Zionist: those who had already migrated to the Jewish
homeland in Palestine (now Israel) i.e. aliyah, and those who are not likely to migrate and
become immigrants i.e. olim. The idea of Zionists who do not want to return to or settle in Israel
might sound as absurd to many. After all, the main purpose of the Zionist movement is to unite
the Jews from around the world back to their homeland in West Asia and establish a Jewish
homeland in the Israel (Britannica, 2020). But such absurdities do exist and they are the object of
this study.
The book opens with Michael Berkowitz asking some utilitarian questions- Why have these
western Jewry, comfortably assimilated in the USA, Germany and Britain bothered to bother
about the Zionist movement, which is of little significance to them? By ‘western Jewry’, the
author refers principally refers to the Jews who settled in Britain, Germany and the USA. The
book then goes on to follow the evolution of western Zionism in the period 1914-1933 i.e. the
inter-war years. Berkowitz begins by demonstrating the possible conceptual underpinnings of
Western Jewry's attraction to Zionism. He argues that for the western Jewry Zionism was a
“supplemental nationality”-rather than a substitute nationality- of acculturated Jews (Berkowitz,
2003 p.1). Western Zionism fulfilled certain functions: it was a source of ethnic pride, a way of
assimilating with the dominant Jewish culture and an expression of solidarity with other Jews
who were suffering. As such, the western Jews always tried to maintain a balance between their
identities as citizens of the ‘modern world’ while also preserving their Jewish roots (Reuveni &
Madigan, 2019). Their struggle in maintaining this balance and the social and political changes
they experienced due to this forms the basis of Berkowitz’s book.
Further, the ideological struggle of the western Jewry was also seen in the religious sphere.
Berkowitz writes that there appeared to be a conflict between the secular faction of Zionist
Judaism and the 19th century conservative Judaism, which supported the revival of Hebrew
language (Reuveni & Madigan, 2019). Berkowitz then wonders that had the movement not been
plagued by its internal short-comings, would it have done any better in the already tumultuous
times of that era, especially in war-stricken Europe. Berkowitz also highlights several successes

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and achievements of the Zionist Organisation, especially the Jewish development of Palestine
and the acceptance of Zionism as an established reality by the Jewish and the non-Jewish world.
In Chapter 2 “A new pantheon: the portrayal of Zionist leaders in the West”, Berkowitz gives an
account of the history of Zionist leadership in the west. He says that the champion of modern
Zionism and personification of Zionist ideal was Theodor Herzl. Herzl was the writer of Der
Judenstaat (The Jewish State), a pamphlet that sought to garner political recognition for the
Jewish homeland. In 1897, Herzl organized the First Zionist Congress which was held in
Switzerland (Basel). He also formed the World Zionist Organization and was its first president.
Later, in 1917 the Balfour Declaration was published by a leader of a British Jewish community.
In this historic declaration, well-known Zionist leaders such as Chaim Weizmann, Louis
Brandeis and Nahum Sokolow played important roles. With respect to Weizmann, Berkowitz
describes in length how he was a ‘leader par excellence’ because he understood the “folk soul”
of the Jewish people (Berkowitz, 2003 p. 35). About Weizmann Berkowitz writes that he was a
charismatic leader, a scientist by profession but one with a personality who could bridge the gap
between the worlds of modern civilization and as “authentic” eastern Jewry (Berkowitz, 2003 p.
35).
Further, women leaders like Henrietta Szold played critical role in organising the Zionist
movement in the west; Szold was also the founder of and a pioneering figure in the Hadassah,
the Women’s Zionist Organisation of America that helped in giving women a frontline role in
the Zionist movement. It is also said that Szold helped to organize the first Zionist society in
America in 1893 (Britannica, 2020). Later in the chapter, the author talks in length about the
Hadassah and how not only was it integral to the Zionist movement but formed a link between
the American Jewry and the movement in Palestine.
Summary of Part 2
In the third chapter “Dollars and the changing sense of Zionism”, Berkowitz talks about the
western Zionists and their subsidiary role to the ‘real’ Zionists who were carrying forward the
movement in Israel. Berkowitz says that in the 1920s there was a staggering fall in the
membership of Zionists in America i.e. from 200,000 members in 1918 to 65,000 in 1929, which

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included 45,000 members of the Hadassah (Reuveni & Madigan, 2019). Berkowitz states that
there was widespread demoralization across the ranks of the organisation and as a result, the
leaders seemed to want fundraisers rather than members who were seriously interested and
engaged in Zionist issues and policies. There were several cases where conventions were
interrupted and manipulated, dissenters were fired from powerful positions and labelled as
traitors to the Jewish people. In fact, Berkowitz says that the environment of fundraising itself
smothered dissent. Berkowitz then moves on to discuss the famous Brandeis-Weizmann
controversy, which revolved around the question of accountability- rather, Weizmann’s refusal
to account for funds sent to Palestine. Weizmann was later charged of misadministration of
funds. Further, the author also mentions that Weizmann- considered as the face of the Jewish
East and promoting collective programs- was the more irrational leader in this controversy-than
Brandeis who represented the Jewish West and stood for capitalist free enterprise (Reuveni &
Madigan, 2019). Berkowitz writes that Weizmann not only condemned his opponents but also
dismissed all possibility of debate between Zionist organisations.
The author elaborates that funds collected in Britain was used to finance enterprise in Palestine,
while the organisation that promoted Hebrew culture among British Zionists went bankrupt.
During this phase, Palestine took centre-stage as it underwent major development in social and
economic infrastructure for an autonomous Jewish society and the beginning of a Jewish quasi-
government. But Berkowitz opines, referring to Stephen Wise, that the Zionist organisation was
tremendously weakened by the Brandeis-Weizmann controversy which reflected in the weakness
of the future leadership of the movement (Berkowitz, 2003). The focus was now less on
upgrading the programs and policies of the movement, to keep up with the times, and more on
propaganda and “gutter journalism” (Berkowitz, 2003).
In addition, the author describes how this struggle for control over raising funds led to the
establishment and rise of the organisation, Keren Hayesod which did little to popularize Zionism
in America. Keren Hayesod was formed in London in 1920 to provide the necessary resources to
the movement, following the Balfour Declaration (Hayesod, 2020). Despite resembling the
Jewish act of charity, fundraising continued to be “ugly work” (Berkowitz, 2003) that
complicated issues of nationalism and charity for the Zionists in America. Similar problems of

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distrust in the fundraising organisations rose in Germany as well but, overall, people there
remained mostly loyal to these fundraising bodies. But this crisis did much to damage the
ideological foundations of the movement. Anyway, the Brandeis-Weizmann controversy took
almost a decade to end (1929), due to the sudden eruption of Arab riots in Palestine, and resulted
in the re-establishment of Brandeis into the Zionist leadership, an act that was greatly supported
by the Hadassah leaders.
In addition to this, in a substantial portion of this chapter the author ventures into the historical
analysis that illuminates the enormous contributions of the women leaders and Hadassah
members. These women had a strong feminist orientation, were strong critics of the Weizmann-
Brandeis controversy and continued to make their own unique path in the movement without,
however, opposing the patriarchal nature of the Zionist institutions (Reuveni & Madigan, 2019).
In times of continues in-fighting among male leaders these women took charge of the funding
and operations in Palestine. In doing so, they promoted the image of a “modern independent
Jewish woman” who worked in sectors of social welfare, philanthropy, and health (Reuveni &
Madigan, 2019). They introduced new concepts in the sector of social service, emphasised upon
self-dependence among the women and children of the Zionist movement. They also established
welfare centres for children and women, health facilities and hospitals and organized home
economics classes. However, the contributions of these women did not go unopposed and they
were labelled as power-hungry and manipulative.
Thus, through these chapters we can surmise that the Zionist movement, like most movements of
the time, was not a smooth sailing one. It had its successes and strengths but its inbuilt flaws as
well that brought its decline in mass acceptance. However, while it thrived it was a symbol of
Jewish identity and Jewish sociability in the diaspora (Reuveni & Madigan, 2019).

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Reference List
Berkowitz, M. (2003). Western Jewry and the Zionist project, 1914-1933. London: Cambridge
University Press.
Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2020). Zionism. Retrieved from
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Zionism
Hayesod, K. (2020). Abouts Us: Our History. Retrieved from https://www.kh-uia.org.il/about-
us/our-history/
Reuveni, G., & Madigan, E. (2019). The First World War and the Jews. In The Jewish
Experience of the First World War (pp. 1-16). Palgrave Macmillan, London.