 | Jerusalem on the Amur: Birobidzhan and the Canadian Jewish Communist Movement, 1924-1951 Subjects: Jewish communists -- Canada -- History; Working class Jews -- Canada -- History; Jews -- Canada -- Politics and government -- 20th century; Communism -- Canada -- History -- 20th century; Birobidzhan (Russia) -- History; In 1928 the Soviet Union proposed the establishment of an autonomous socialist Jewish republic in the far eastern reaches of Russian territory. In Birobidzhan the eternal search for a Jewish homeland would be realized and Jews would possess their own institutions, which would function in Yiddish. A "new" Jew would be created, emancipated, and rejuvenated. Although the project was eventually revealed to be a fraud, thousands of left-wing Jews in Canada and the United States passionately supported it and campaigned on its behalf - some even emigrated to Birobidzhan. Srebrnik Henry Felix : Henry Srebrnik is professor of political studies, University of Prince Edward Island and the author of London Jews and British Communism, 1935-1945.Henry Srebrnik is professor of political studies, University of Prince Edward Island and the author of London Jews and British Communism, 1935-1945. |
