British Mandate: A Survey of Palestine: Supplement - Page 152

AGUDATH ISRAEL.

(p. 961) (§ 46)

This is an organisation of orthodox Jews which bases itself on the Torah and whose wav of life is governed by the Shulchan Aruch. While not opposed to the concept of the Jewish national home, and indeed favouring Jewish immigration to Palestine under the terms of the Mandate, it holds that political Zionism, with its emphasis on the physical rather than the metaphysical aspects of the restoration of the Jewish people to Palestine, is at variance with the essential nature of Judaism.

The organisation is part of the World Central Agudath Israel, a world organisation with its central body in Jerusalem (see also section 5 of Chapter XXII). Many of its members are descendants of Jewish families long established in Palestine, living a life of strict religious observance and particularly associated with the towns of Jerusalem, Tiberias and Safad. Working-class members have formed themselves into a body known as the Poalei Agudath Israel, which is independent of other labour unions, although some of its members participate in the Sick Fund of the General Federation of Jewish Labour. The Poalei Agudath Israel encourages farming, and has established a collective settlement, while three presettlement groups are undergoing training. Agudath Israel also embraces a women's organisation and three junior associations.

No accurate figures of the membership of Agndath Israel are available. A figure of 50 ,000 is sometimes claimed but is probably an exaggeration.

The Agudath Israel is unable to accept the Jewish community as constituted under the Jewish Community Rules as in fact a religious community, holding that it is essentially a political and economic body in which Jewish religious precept is only accorded authority in certain ritual matters. Many of its members accordingly avail themselves of the statutory provision for opting out.

The leading figure of Agudath Israel in Palestine is Dr. I. M. Lewin. Its organs are the weekly "Kol Tsrael" and "Sha'arini".

Strength of Parties.

The most recent trial of strength in Jewish politics in Palestine was the election to the 22nd World Zionist Congress on 28th October, 1946, when the parties were returned as follows

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