87 handwritten pages, with protocols of meetings of the Zionist General Council (Va’ad HaPoel HaZioni) in April 1904 – documentation of long debates between Theodor Herzl, Menachem Ussishkin, David Wolfson, Menachem Sheinkin, and others, about the Uganda Plan. [Vienna], April 1904. Hebrew and some German.
In August 1903, Herzl submitted to members of the Zionist Congress the British proposal to establish a Jewish settlement in East Africa, which became known as the Uganda Plan. The proposal, which many delegates viewed as a renunciation of Zionism’s entire purpose, drew stormy reactions and led the Zionist movement to the brink of its first rift. Theodor Herzl led the supporters of the Uganda Plan, while Menachem Ussishkin led the opposition, which was comprised mainly of Russian Zionists. The dispute between both sides included exchanges of letters, public accusations, and even threats of departure by the Russian Zionists. In a last-ditch effort to prevent a rift within the Zionist movement, Herzl announced an emergency meeting of the Zionist General Council, which took place in Vienna from April 11 to April 15, 1904.
These eighty-seven handwritten protocol pages record intense disputes, mutual accusations, and the agreement that was reached after four days of debate. The protocol contains, among other things, statements by Herzl (who led the meetings), Menachem Ussishkin, David Wolffsohn, Menachem Sheinkin, Jacob Bernstein-Cohen, Yehiel Chelnov, Zvi Belkovsky, Max Mandelstam, and Alexander Marmorek, among others.
The first meeting was devoted almost entirely to Herzl’s long opening address, which lays out his position regarding Palestine and his reasons for supporting the Uganda Plan: "Here is a piece of bread. I, who perhaps have cake to eat, and in any case can always have a piece of bread, have no right to reject the piece of bread which is being offered to the poor because I don’t need or want it". Ussishkin's harsh remarks, made later on, are also recorded ("If you want war, by all means go ahead – there will be war. We will fight, and we will see who wins"), as well as statements of other representatives from both camps.
The meetings also included discussions of other matters including financial affairs, the Jewish National Fund, the purchase of land, meetings with representatives of world governments, and donations for the planting of olive trees.
The reconciliation meeting of the Zionist General Council is considered Herzl’s last great achievement for the Zionist movement. Herzl died three months later.
1-32, 35-47 leaves (87 written pages) + [1] appendix (strip of paper with a handwritten addition). Two leaves (no. 33-34) are missing; other pages from the end of the protocol may be missing as well. 24-33 cm (mostly 33 cm). Good condition. Creases and stains to some leaves (mostly slight), tears and open tears at margins (most are small and repaired).
Provenance: Rimon Family Collection.

Tel Aviv, a Story by Theodor Herzl. Hebrew: N. S. [Nahum Sokolow]. Warsaw: The Russian Zionist Organization, HaZfira Press, 1902 [on verso of the title page is a censure approval dated 1903].
First Hebrew translation of Theodor Herzl's utopian novel "Altneuland", published in German in the same year. The meaning of the Hebrew name is explained on p. 80: "And Friedrich whispered: Tel Aviv! (Altneuland: Tel – an ancient ruin, Aviv [spring] – resurrection, a new blossom). – Indeed!... This was an eternal ruin, a mound of ancient rubble, and now it is a mound of spring [Tel Aviv] and life. On our ancient land we have founded a new state".
The present copy is hardbound, with gilt decorations and illustrations (embossed on the back binding are the name of the bookbinder and his address in Warsaw, in Russian).
319 pp, 21 cm. Good condition. A few stains. Ink stamps on the endpaper and the title page (with slight damage to text). Blemishes and rubbings to binding (mostly slight, and mostly to spine and corners).

Three documents of the Jewish community in Peki'in and a booklet on the settlement's history. Peki'in and Tel Aviv, 1910-1932.
1. Handwritten letter from the Jews of the village of Peki'in to the directors of the Anglo-Palestine Bank, 18 Heshvan 5671 (November 20, 1910). In the letter, the Jewish settlers of Peki'in request aid in acquiring land around the village and tell of the grim situation of the Jewish settlement in Peki'in, saying that many settlers have left the country: "We, the Jews of the village of Peki'in, the last survivors of the rural settlements in which our brethren formerly resided from time immemorial, turn to you today… to be our mouthpiece and represent our impoverished, failing community. You should know, our brothers and honorable ministers, representatives of the national bank, that just thirty years ago most of the lands of this village belonged to Jews, and it is only due to the heavy taxes imposed then by the government on our land and produce that nearly all our lands here passed into the hands of strangers… and therefore, since then and until today, our settlement has grown ever smaller and many of us have strayed abroad, for they have no land to sow at all… we thus turn to you now with a request, honored directors, that you attempt to purchase for us land here around the village, in a manner which will be proper to both sides, us and the bank…".
The letter is hand-signed by representatives of the Jewish families in Peki'in, including the Zinati family, the Oudi family, the Mizrachi family, the Toma family and others. The letter is also signed with the "Stamp of the Holy Community of Farmers in the Village of Peki'in near the Holy City of Safed", with a drawing of the carob tree at the entrance to the cave of Rabbi Simeon bar Yochai.
2. Proclamation of the "'Yeshurun Community' Committee in Peki'in Village, Palestine", from August 5, 1925, requesting donations through the emissary Zion Halevy, due to the difficult condition of the Jewish community: "It has no shochet, no doctor and no room for a school… and the ancient synagogue in the village is about to collapse". Formulated as a personal letter, with a blank space where the addressee's name is to be filled in. Signed on the bottom in print by the leaders of the community, and with an ink stamp identical to the one in item no. 1.
3. Handwritten permit from February 22, 1932, granted to the Jewish teacher Ben-Zion HaCohen to represent the Jewish village before the national institutions in Jerusalem and to be absent from his teaching duties. Signed by fourteen of the village's Jewish residents, with an ink stamp of the "Committee of the Peki'in Jewish Community" different from the stamps on the two previous documents: the carob tree has been replaced by a date palm (apparently according to the legend that the carob becomes a date palm every Sabbath eve).
4. The Jewish Settlement in Peki'in, by Yitzhak Ben Zvi. Ahdut Ha'Avoda Press, Tel Aviv, 1922. Booklet surveying the history of the Jewish settlement in Peki'in, with pictures of sites and figures.
Size and condition vary. Good-fair overall condition. Folding marks, stains, creases and small tears to margins. Filing holes to letter. Restored tears to proclamation and permit (with slight damage to text). Tears and blemishes to booklet's spine, with a strip of adhesive tape to its entire length. The back cover of the booklet may be missing.
Provenance: Rimon Family Collection.

Four bulletins and a proclamation printed during the 1929 riots, and therafter, on behalf of the British Administration. Jerusalem, August-September 1929.
1-4. Palestine Government, Official Bulletin. [Jerusalem]: Greek Convent. Issues nos. 2-5. August 26-31, 1929.
Four official bulletins, with a daily survey of the events in various areas, including a report about the number of dead and injured, Jews and Arabs.
5. Proclamation issued by the High Commissioner John Chancellor. Jerusalem: Greek Convent, September 4, 1929.
A proclamation about the investigation of the riots, and bringing the rioters to trial. In this proclamation accusations are against the Jewish and Arab public alike, as an "amendment" to a previous proclamation that blamed only the Arabs: "Representations have been made to me, which point to a belief in the minds of certain people that the trial of persons charged with criminal acts is to be confined to one section of the population. This belief does not correctly interpret the intentions of Government, which are that, since crimes of various descriptions are known to have been perpetrated by both Arabs and Jews, all offenders without distinction of race or creed will be brought to trial before the Courts…".
Size and condition vary. Good overall condition. Folding marks and creases. Some tears at margins and folding marks, some reinforced with adhesive tape. Some stains, mostly on the backs of the leaves.