Egyptian Jewry and Zionism

Reuven was born in 1923 in Alexandria, to a traditional Jewish family. He became religious at the time of his Bar Mitzva and then became secular at age 16 or 17. He attended many different schools including the Menashe Jewish school, an Italian school, the Mansura school run by French monks and the Lycee Francaise. Hebrew and Jewish history he learned in the Jewish schools. In his opinion, there was no danger of assimilation: the Jewish community, although not religious, had a very strong Jewish identity. In his opinion, Ashkenazi Jews were only bound by the Yiddish language and they mixed with Christians. Reuven joined Hechalutz Hatzair with his two friends, Eliahu Shalem and Shaul Guetta. The idea of Zionism appealed to him, he spent all his spare time in the club, learning things he had never thought about before, making new friends, becoming a madrich, feeling part of a movement. He describes the atmosphere of equality, comradeship, the willingness to take on responsibility, the spiritual preparedness to become simple labourers, to achieve fulfilness. He did not find this atmosphere in the other youth movements. He proved himself and thus was made a madrich for older and more difficult children. What attracted him first to Hechalutz was socialism, but he soon realized that socialism without Zionism would not work in Palestine. He also valued greatly the idea of group responsibility and commitment. ; Reuven was elected by the Gdud Tel Chai to be a member of the Hechalutz leadership in Alexandria. Yael Ben Zaken, Chaim Torger and Benni Setbon were also members. Reuven was not interested in administration. He was active in instructing, preparing cultural events (such as exhibitions). Relations between the leaders themselves and with the emissaries from Palestine were easy, the latter being interested mainly in administrative matters and in strengthening the education and the ideological identity of members of the movement. Reuven's group of yoiuth met on Shabbat in a festive atmosphere; later they met 3-4 times a week. During the meetings, as well as during excursions and camping, there would be a lecture and then singing and dancing. The aim was to imbibe the youngsters with Zionism, to enforce solidarity and mutual assistance. In 1945 a group of about 40 Hechalutz members from Alexandria and Cairo visited Palestine, worked for a fortnight in kibbutz Ramat Yochanan, toured Galilee and then Jerusalem. They met in kibbutz Gvat the first immigrants from Egypt, whom they wanted to join. Back in Egypt before Aliya, the youngsters were sworn in, one by one, in secrecy, after Reuven had prepared them for their immigration. The group went by Aliyah B.