Haavara FAQs: Review of Autobiography by Nahum Goldmann, Chapter 13 -- Fighting the Nazis

In the following pages, Nahum Goldmann (one of the most important founding fathers of the Jewish state who witnessed the rise Nazism firsthand) looks back on the events that happened in the 1930s and 40s with great regrets and deep remorse. Mr. Goldmann kept repeating over and over how Jews (Zionists and non-Zionists alike) were passive in confronting fascism (especially after the Nuremberg Laws were enacted), how boycotting Nazis should have been encouraged, and how Jews were reluctant to confront Nazism from day one, which is mainly true except for Marxist Jews. Ironically, it was the founder of Zionism, Theodor Herzl, who taught Zionists to appease antisemites whom he predicted would become Zionists' best friends! That said, when you examine what Mr. Goldmann wrote, you'll find ZERO references to the infamous Haavara Agreement, which lasted for nine years straight (with ZERO interruptions, even after Kristallnacht). Haavara was allowed to continue for this long because it was good for Zionism, and not for Haavara, Zionist enterprises (i.e., the Jewish Agency, JNF, ..etc) would have been liquidated. Also, it should be noted that it was Mr. Goldmann (and his close friend Rabbi Stephen Wise at the WJC) who lobbied against any haven for Europe's Jews EXCEPT for Palestine; this is an open secret in the American Jewish community. The omission of these relevant facts is VERY revealing, especially when it was Zionist Jews in mass who were AGAINST boycotting Nazis and who helped Hitler to break up the anti-Nazi boycott. Actually, David Ben-Gurion & Co. at the Jewish Agency banned anti-Nazi protests too. What was tragically funny was this Chapter's title (Fighting the Nazis) when it was Zionist Jews who went out of their way to avoid fighting the Nazis to the bitter end!
On the other hand, Mr. Goldmann below made a VERY STRONG case for Dr. Hannah Arendt's argument in the early 1960s when she said that Jews would've been much better off being leaderless. Ms. Arendt came to a very similar conclusion, Jewish cooperation with the Nazis sped up the killing process during the Holocaust (note how she named ONLY Zionists; yes, most KAPOs were Zionists). Because of that, Ms. Arendt was canceled and boycotted (yes, by the same Jews who REFUSED to boycott Nazis) when she exposed the KAPO phenomenon! By the way, Mr. Goldmann received slightly a better treatment in compression. Sadly, only Gentiles came to rescue Ms. Arendt from Zionists' jaws; literally, she was chewed alive (some compared what she went through to a pogrom). Despite our criticism, this chapter reveals how Mr. Goldmann felt; Rabbi Stephen Wise was known to have said something similar just before he died in the late 1940s. Therefore, we urge you to read critically with an open mind, but be mindful that he painted himself and his buddies with a good light.

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147. Note in 2nd paragraph how Mr. Goldmann regretted how Jews didn't enforce the anti-Nazi boycott from day one, although he knew well that Haavara Agreement was nailed down as soon as Hitler rose to power. Initially, V1 was signed with Sam Cohen, and in August 1933 V2 was signed between the Jewish Agency and the Nazi regime. Haavara was allowed to continue for this long because it was good for Zionism; and not for Haavara Zionist enterprises (i.e., the Jewish Agency, JNF, ..etc) would have been liquidated by the mid-1930s. Click here to read the rest of our critical review of Mr. Goldmann's book:
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