Egyptian Jewry and Zionism

First interview: Akiva, Aharon Bar Yosef and Raphael Recanati came to Egypt in 1943 on behalf of Hamossad Ha'aliyah and the World Zionist Organization, Youth and Hechalutz Department. He lived temporarily in both Cairo and Alexandria where he established and set up Jewish organizations. The following Jewish organizations existed: Maccabi sports organizatio in Alexandria, Koach sports organization in Heliopolis, Ha'ivri Hatzair led by emissaries from Hashomer Hatzair who had arrived earlier and did not accept the authority of the Mossad and Hechalutz Hatzair in Alexandria. Hechalutz hatzair was founded in the 1920s by Immanuel Bar-Chayim, an emissary from Eretz Yisrael. The aim of all the emissaries except the one from Hashomer Hatzair was to establish a unified Zionist Halutz youth movement in all Arab countries. He mentions Zionist Leon Castro, editor of "La Libertee" newspaper. ; Eiger became president of the Zionist Organization in Cairo which included many emigres and refugees from Eretz Yisrael. Akiva compares the Zionist Organization in Cairo and in Alexandria. Non-Zionist members of the community established clubs for Jewish soldiers stationed in Egypt. The emissaries worked with the young and tried to communicate with anti-Zionist leftist groups. They persuaded members of a youth club "Hatchiyah" to serve as instructors in the revived Hechalutz Hatzair which absorbed many of its members. Asked about relations with the chief rabbis, Akiva explains the difference between Rav Nachum Effendi, Chief Rabbi of Egypt, and Rabbi Ventura, chief rabbi of Alexandria. Rabbi Effendi was close to Egyptian authorities and careful about showing open support for Zionist while Rabbi Ventura was openly pro-Zionist. ; Akiva describes the Jewish youth he found when he arrived in Egypt - mainly middle-class, intelligent, graduates of secondary schools, and easily influenced by Communism, against nationalism and seeing Zionism as anachronistic. Nevertheless they were eager to meet the emissaries and listen to new ideas. The interviewer discusses with Akiva the involvement of Communist youths, stemming mainly from affluent families. Akiva worked with youth in all the many Jewish schools. His aim was to create a serious nucleus of a Zionist chalutzic movement the members of which would live and work within the settlement movement. In 1944 there were already 500-600 members of Maccabi in Cairo who met in a big club established by the Zionist Organization. The same happened in Alexandria. After a year of activities (details) the first group to make Aliyah was formed from members in Cairo and Alexandria and they immigrated in 1945. The emissaries were assisted in their work by Jewish soldiers many of whom were teachers, students, members of Haganah and kibbutznikim. ; It seemed to Akiva that pupils in Jewish schools who were taught Hebrew and were proud of their Jewish identy, were just waiting for someone to come and organize them and teach them the foundations of Zionism. The emissaries first of all wanted to train a cadre of instructors (about 12) some of whom had been in Eretz Yisrael in 1942. Details about the training and its aims. These instructors became the leaders of the movement, the emissaries functioning as advisors whose advice was accepted or not. But they did influence the selection of those who would make Aliyah. When Egypt achieved independence, there was a rise in nationalism and things became difficult for non-Egyptians, especially for Jews. A synagogue was burnt down, there were anti-Jewish demonstrations. So the wish to leave and make Aliyah increased rapidly and some of the leaders and instructors had to be retained in order to continue the Zionist work. Instruction in self-defence was then a top priority. ; Second interview: The first part of the interview is devoted to the description of prominent Egyptian Jews and members of the Zionist movement at the time of Akiva's mission: Adv. Leon Castro, Chaim Zadikov, adv. Emil Najar, Enzo Sireni, Ben Asher, Roger Oppenheim, Avinoam Horowitz, Dr. Schlossberg, Harav Moshe Ventura, the journalists Yochanan Masri and Yaakov Rabin. The emissaries' aim was primarily to instruct the Jewish youth in Egypt in Zionism and prepare them for Aliyah. World War II had not ended, and the establishment of an independent Jewish State was not expected in the near future. Akiva thinks that there were attempts to communicate with Egyptian leaders, mainly with leaders of the Coptic community. Head of the secret police in Cairo was a Copt with whom the emissaries cooperated, especially after the murder of Lord Moyne, and who turned Akiva into a legal emissary. This Copt thought that friendly relations between Egypt and the Jewish State, soon to be established, would ensure the standing of the Coptic minority within the muslim state. Akiva also thinks that emissaries of the Political Department of the Jewish Agency had relations with Egyptian leaders - Reuven Zaslani, Teddy Kollek, Yaakov Tsur, Ruth Kliger and Yolande Gabai.