A letter handwritten and signed by David Ben-Gurion, addressed to Yitzchak Ben-Zvi. New York, 9.5.1916.
A letter by David Ben-Gurion to Yitzchak Ben-Zvi, written on official stationery of National-Socialist Workmen's Committee of which Ben-Gurion was secretary. The letter was written when the two lived in the USA, after being exiled from Palestine by the Ottoman government.
At the beginning of the letter, Ben-Gurion refers to an apartment he had shared with Ben-Zvi and Ya'akov Zerubavel in New York. The remainder of the letter deals with how the book "Yizkor" (In Memoriam) was accepted in the USA. The book, which was edited by Ben-Zvi, Ya'akov Zerubavel and Alexander Cheshin and contained articles in memory of the workers and guards who were killed while defending the Jewish settlements of Palestine, was published in New York in May 1916. In the letter, Ben-Gurion quotes critique of the book: "Here are the words of one critic: the book in general makes a tremendous impression […] the articles of Zerubavel make a bad impression – exaggerated opinion journalism in a pompous poetic form" [possibly, he chose to quote this particular critique since he was offended by not being partner to the editing of the book. Several months after the release of the first edition, the central committee of the Poalei Zion party in the USA decided to print a second edition. Ben-Gurion was appointed editor of this second edition and this caused a conflict between him and Ben-Zvi. In the edition he edited, Ben-Gurion chose to replace the introduction written by Zerubavel with a new introduction by Alexander Cheshin and omitted the names of Ben-Zvi and Zerubavel from the names of the editors].
At the end of the letter, Ben-Gurion reports on disagreements among the editorial staff of "Der Yiddisher Kampfer" published by the Poalei Zion association and asks Ben-Zvi to send his regards to their mutual friends.
The friendship between David Ben-Gurion and Yitzchak Ben-Zvi developed in Jerusalem, in 1910, during their joint work as members of the editorial staff of the journal "HaAchdut", the official journal of the Poalei Zion party in Palestine. During the years 1912-1914, they studied law in Istanbul in order to prepare themselves when time comes to represent the Jewish Yishuv before the Ottoman government. When the Ottoman Empire joined World War I, alongside the Central Powers, all the subjects of the Entente Powers in Palestine became enemy subjects and were required to accept Ottoman citizenship or leave the country. Ben-Gurion and Ben-Zvi, who returned from Istanbul, supported the idea of Ottomanization and together with the other members of the Poalei Zion Movement accepted Ottoman citizenship. Nevertheless, in 1915, when it was decided to deport anyone related to Zionist activity, they received a 'permanent' deportation order and were sent by ship to Alexandria. In Alexandria, they were arrested by the British as enemy citizens; however, after the intervention of the USA consul, they were released and sailed to New York.
After their arrival in New York, Ben-Gurion and Ben-Zvi became involved in Zionist activity as members of Poalei Zion. They wrote for the local press, gave lectures and published the books "Yizkor" and "Erezt Yisrael BaAvar UVaHoveh" (Palestine in the Past and in the Present). After the Balfour Declaration, they were among the initiators of the establishment of the 39th battalion of the Royal Fusiliers of the British army (a Jewish-American battalion) and encouraged Jewish youth to join the Jewish Legion. With the conquest of Palestine by the British, the two returned to the country.
For additional information, see enclosed article.
[1] leaf, 28 cm. Good condition. Fold lines. Minor blemishes.