Book on the Righteous - Jevrejska opština Zemun

Righteous Among The Nations - Serbia
Historical Background
founded, coupled with favourable conditions for development,
made it reasonably easier for Jews to identify
with the state. Certain researchers refer to this assimilation
as a form of Serbian-Yugoslav nationalism that
replaced prior cultural identifications. It would probably
be best to refer to this identification as Yugoslav for two
reasons. Firstly, the concept of a Yugoslav nation was
a frame with which Jews from the former Monarchy
could identify with more easily than with the concept
of belonging to Serbia, best noted in the case of Vojvodina.
The second reason stems from the fact that, during
the twenties, Jews from the Kingdom of Serbia supplemented
their Serbian nationalism for that of Yugoslavia
progressively and, after the proclamation of the January
6 th regime in 1929, in accordance with the instated
regime. The Yugoslav national identity was looked on
as a synthesis of all previous national identifications,
including that of Serbia.
Jews found their place within the framework of the
post-war Kingdom’s “three name” and later “Yugoslav”
national identity, it being sufficiently extensive
and acceptable to all who perceived the Kingdom as
their homeland. At the same time, guaranteed collective
rights offered the possibility of maintaining one’s own
identity, which became increasingly interpreted as a national
identity with the ascendancy of Zionism.
From the standpoint of state interest, the advance of Zionism
was of special importance in regions where Jews
felt bound to the prewar ruling nation, especially that
of Hungary. Yugoslav Zionists explicitly maintained
the standpoint that national integrity and a firm state,
organized on liberal principles, could best support the
realization of Zionist goals at a time when the question
of status and, then again, the survival of the whole Jewish
people were at stake. A major Zionist achievement
was the organized rallying of the Jewish youth into the
Association of Jewish Youth Societies founded in 1919.
The greater part of these youth societies were Zionist
and of left orientation. One stronghold of youths was
the Zionist student organization at the University of
Zagreb. However, the largest and best organized was
the “Hashomer hatzair” (Young sentry). Its Yugoslav
branch was founded in 1931. The main goal of the organization
was to prepare youths for the planned relocation
and settlement in the Palestine, where life would be
organized on principles of socialism in kibbutzim, by
teaching them the skills of productive crafts.
The Zionist organization in Yugoslavia was considered
to be one of the best organized in the world, a fact
confirmed by the world Zionist organization. Notwithstanding
this strong Zionist movement, the number of
immigrants to the Palestine in the period 1919 to 1939
numbered only 800, i.e., approximately 1% of Yugoslav
Jews. The percentage was three times less than the average
rate of immigrants from other European countries.
Favourable living conditions of Yugoslav Jews partly
played a role in the low percentage, but the restrictive
settlement politics maintained by the British mandatory
authorities in the Palestine were yet another factor. The
Yugoslav government backed the relocation of Jews
to the Palestine by issuing immigration passports and
easing capital transfer regulations in lieu of a compensation
agreement reached between the Yugoslav and
Palestinian governments. However, conditions of living
and business dealing still held back Yugoslav Jews from
moving to the Palestine. From the end of the thirties,
other factors would be in play and influence the rate of
immigration from Yugoslavia.
The Yugoslav Jewish Community, primarily its Zionists,
took part in international Jewish activities in a number
of different ways. The Community/Zionists primarily
organized money collections donated for establishment
of Jewish funds (foremost the Keren hajesod and Keren
kajemet lejisrael). Such backing was intended for the
purchase of land/real estate for settlers in the Palestine
and sustained development of the future Jewish state.
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