Studies in the History of Zionism

The Struggle against the British - Settlement and Illegal Immigration: Suggested Educational Activities

Please note:
Background
Appendices

Supplementary material:
Selections from "Exodus" by Leon Uris;
Martin Gilbert - Jewish Historical Atlas;
Encyclopedia Judaica
[Original Supplementary Material: "Reishit Hatzionut", Ch.11, pp. 140-145, Ch.15, pp.185-192.]

I. The British Attitude to the Illegal Immigration - A Statistical Summary

Synopsis

Activity designed to follow study of the first section of the unit ("Illegal Immigration during the Second World War"). Discussion may be extended to a formal debate on British and US refusal to accept large numbers of Jewish refugees during the War.

Preparation & Materials
Supplementary reading material: "Exodus", Encyclopedia Judaica...
Appendix 1 [photocopied for everyone].

Procedure:

1. Participants use the statistical analysis in Appendix #1 to characterize the attitude of the British to the Jews who tried to reach Palestine during the war.
2. Before entering a discussion, the following key questions should be raised:
   1. What were the countries of origin of these illegal immigrants? Who would have managed to flee so far in wartime?
   2. Where else could they have gone?
   3. Note how many people the ships carried altogether and contrast this both to the number of legal immigration visas and the dimensions of those Jews saved by Raoul Wallenberg [60,000] and Righteous Gentiles.
   4. Find out how many people there were living in the Yishuv at the time [Jews, Christians, Moslems].
   5. What did the British do with the ships' passengers? [The British acted against the illegal immigrants by transferring them to detention camps in Palestine or deportation of the immigrants to destinations abroad - Cyprus and Mauritias.]
3. 3. Discussion or Debate There are a number of ways of managing the discussion on the issue of wartime illegal immigration to Eretz Yisrael.

   A. Open Discussion

   Ask for questions which arise from any of the material. If response is slow, ask participants how they feel about the events and the parties involved - their decisions and actions.

   Aim to open the discussion of why the British Mandate Authority limited Jewish immigration, why it maintained this policy and what efforts the Yishuv leadership and world Jewry made to save Jews in Europe and / or bring them to Eretz Yisrael.

   It is entirely legitimate to examine the relatively small scale success of the seaborne operations against the dimensions of the Shoah, but in context of small means and a small community. Note that the ships also represent only a proportion of the entire illegal immigration, and were a last resort involving much planning.

   B. Confrontation

   Establish two panels of British Mandate and Government officials and the Yishuv leadership. Each group prepares a statement of intent, [10 minutes] based on specific reasoning, which are read out to the BBC radio reporter [the moderator, with a microphone].

   Each group selects a round table team of 4 negotiators, and prepares its maximal and minimal proposals for a closed conference which is designed to produce a compromise. At the same time, other participants work on handbills, wall posters [30-40 minutes] to support their position, with the Yishuv group planning a demonstration, banners etc, as well. Remember that there is also a war on at the time.

   The Conference is to be convened: The British group are now divided into police, on duty to preserve public order, and the international press - as well as the 4 negotiators. The Yishuv group now holds a demonstration - participants may chain themselves to objects, to each other, sing songs.... while the British police try to keep them at a distance or disperse them.

   The demonstration ends - the 8 negotiators sit down at the conference table and read out their starting proposals [maximal demands]. Everyone else is seated.

   Time-out: each side consults with its supporters on how to respond to the opponents' positions [6 minutes], which points are more negotiable. Select a chief negotiator. Return to the conference table.

   The two sides attempt to find common ground on any of the issues. If there is progress, reconsult with full teams. If it fails totally on this round or there is no progress on the third round, stop here and bring everyone together.

   Discuss how far apart each "side" is in your confrontation and how far apart they were in reality - and why.

   Make the point that the Yishuv was unable to find or bring sufficient pressure to bear on the British in order to change their policy: on the one hand, many victims died - although a few thousand were saved; on the other hand, the Yishuv decided to fight the war with the British in order to fight Germany and Nazism.

   C. Formal Debate

   First, formulate a motion on British immigration policy and its implementation. Divide into 2 teams who will help their first and second speakers with the preparation of their speeches. Proceed by debating rules with 1st proposer, 1st opposer, 2nds and questions from the floor, with proceedings directed by a moderator.

   Example: This house believes that British immigration policy in Palestine was directly responsible for the deaths of thousands of Holocaust victims who could have been saved.

   OR:

   This house believes that the Allies and all the neutral countries bear equal responsibility for not accepting large numbers of Jewish refugees during the Holocaust.

   If you choose to debate along the following lines, you will require articles by Yehuda Bauer on the modest realities of the Yishuv's capabilities during the Shoah:

   This house believes that the Yishuv did not do enough to save Jewish refugees in Nazi-overrun Europe.

   OR: This house believes that the Yishuv wasted valuable resources in saving only a few Jews by sea instead of applying greater political pressure on the US and other countries [to accept Jewish refugees anywhere in the world or to force a change in British policy].

II. The Tragic Story of the Illegal Immigrants - Journalism Workshop

Synopsis
Journalism activity to be held after study of the third section of the unit [3b - "The Saga of Illegal Immigration by Sea"].

Preparation & Materials
This may be produced as a newssheet, a TV news item or a short TV documentary, depending on the time available for preparation and evaluation, as well as access to equipment and technical staff.

Optional: If preparing a newssheet, screen the first part of the Otto Preminger film, "Exodus", as one interpretation of the issue.

Supplementary reading material as above.

Appendix #2 [photocopied for everyone].

Stationery and equipment.

Procedure

The participants, as reporters, "cover" one of the illegal immigration stories (see Appendix 2). If there are a large number of participants, subdivide into separate news teams.

When they have received their assignment [Appendix 2], subdivide the group so that participants work singly or in pairs along the following lines:

• One interview with some Jewish refugees;
• One interview with an unnamed Palmach officer;
• One interview with a Yishuv leader;
• One interview with a British Mandate official;
• One account article;
• One editorial / opinion article;
• One cartoon [if possible]

III. Characteristics of the Illegal Immigration - Summary

Synopsis
This is a short final activity, using and analyzing the data supplied.

Preparation & Materials Appendix #3 Maps Encyclopediae Photographs

Procedure

1. From the table, maps, and photographs, students summarize the characteristics of the illegal immigration after the war (see Appendix 3).

2. In the concluding discussion, the following points should be covered:

• A. The number of illegal immigrants to Israel grew by [total?]
• B. The illegal immigration movement became organized
• C. The illegal immigrants were helped by Jewish soldiers in the Allied armies and the Jewish Brigade.
• D. Most of the illegal immigrants sailed from Italy.
• E. The British caught most of the ships. Would-be immigrants were transferred to detention camps, mainly on Cyprus.

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