American Zionism: The American Jewish Conference

Rabbi Stephen Wise

In 1942, the British turned the Struma, a small ship carrying 769 Jews, away from Palestine. After a request for permission to land in Turkey was refused, the vessel was forced out into the open sea where it sank. All but one of the passengers died. The news brought outraged response from many Americans.

The sinking of the Struma and the failure of the Bermuda Conference strengthened the resolve of American Zionist leaders who believed that the establishment of a Jewish state in the ancient homeland held out the only hope of Jewish survival.

In August 1943, determined to strengthen their influence, Zionist organizations united to sponsor the American Jewish Conference in New York City, an event that attracted 500 delegates and thousands of spectators. Controversy arose between those who wanted to press the British to increase Jewish immigration to Pales- tine immediately and those who wanted to delay refugee efforts until after the war. Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver delivered a message that swayed the delegates to adopt a resolution stressing post-war plans for a Jewish state. He emerged from the conference as the voice of the American Zionist movement.