Looking Back

From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History

accessible at www.djnfoundation.org

Churchill and Zionism

Last week, I wrote about Winston actions of Churchill — and Roosevelt and Churchill on the 75th anniversary other Allied leaders — appear on hundreds of his famous “Iron Curtain” speech. of pages. It soon becomes obvious that I noted the abundance of pages in the Churchill was the stubborn, inspirationWilliam Davidson Digital Archive that al and tough wartime leader that Great refer to Churchill, his actions and ideas, Britain needed. as his career unfolded in the 20th century. Along with praise for his successes, It is not an overstatement to say that the there are critical questions. For example, modern world would be a different place why was Churchill so slow to authorize without Churchill. a Jewish Brigade to fight in WWII? Why Churchill has both sup- did he not do more for Jewish refugees porters and critics. Martin from Nazi aggression, including increased Gilbert, the late preeminent immigration to Palestine? Should chronicler of Jewish history Churchill have (himself a Jew) in his book ordered the bomb-

Mike Smith Alene and Churchill and the Jews, con- ing of Auschwitz,

Graham Landau cluded that Churchill demon- an act which some

Archivist Chair strated a lifelong commitment thought might save to Zionism and opposition to antisemitism. thousands of Jewish One can also find plenty of Churchill lives even if incarquotes and actions lauding Jewish culture. cerated Jews might

Michael Cohen, professor emeritus be killed? By the way, from Bar-Ilan University in Israel, how- these same questions ever, believes that Churchill’s affinity for were leveled against Jews was a constructed myth. Moreover, Roosevelt and other several Churchill letters from 1937 were Allied leaders. recently uncovered where he made several Like most great less-than-flattering comments about Jews. world leaders, including

I briefly wrote about Churchill’s impact Abraham Lincoln, Roosevelt, David Ben- upon Metro Detroit but did not address a Gurion or Golda Meir, Churchill possessed larger question. What was his relationship some sterling attributes, along with some with Jews and his impact upon British flaws in character. These other leaders also Mandate Palestine and the State of Israel? had to deal with the politics of Congress,

The pages of the Chronicle and the JN Parliament or the Knesset, and they all from the 1920s to 1940s have hundreds faced one overriding issue: wars of monuof interesting stories related to Churchill mental scale, wars that, if lost, could mean and British Mandate Palestine. This area, the end of their nations. It is also always which encompasses modern Israel, was good to keep in mind that they were prodgiven to British control or “mandate” after ucts of their time, not of the 21st century. the conclusion of WWI. Several stories In this context, Churchill was a realist. in the Chronicle cite Churchill’s vigorous On the balance, it seems that Churchill defense of the Balfour Declaration and the was a supportive Zionist and opposed U.K.’s obligation to support a Jewish home- antisemitism. The JN reached this same land. He was an outspoken critic of the conclusion upon his death — see the editoParliamentary “White Paper” in 1930 that rial in the Jan. 29, 1965, issue. restricted Jewish immigration to Palestine. But you can decide, and the Davidson

In the 1940s, the Chronicle and the JN Archive is a good source for the history of closely followed the events of WWII. The Churchill.

from Nazi aggression, including increased immigration to Palestine? Should ordered the bomban act which some thought might save thousands of Jewish cerated Jews might be killed? By the way, these same questions were leveled against Roosevelt and other world leaders, including Abraham Lincoln, Roosevelt, David Ben- Gurion or Golda Meir, Churchill possessed some sterling attributes, along with some flaws in character. These other leaders also had to deal with the politics of Congress, faced one overriding issue: wars of monumental scale, wars that, if lost, could mean the end of their nations. It is also always good to keep in mind that they were products of their time, not of the 21st century.

On the balance, it seems that Churchill conclusion upon his death — see the edito-

But you can decide, and the Davidson Archive is a good source for the history of