2025-07-05 15:28 <br/> Tags: #AmericanJewry #EarlyZionism #people #ReligiousJudaism #Lobby ![[image-42.png|309x409]] # Abba Hillel Silver (1893-1963) - Abba Hillel Silver was a prominent early Zionist immigrant-American rabbi. He was very influential in garnering support for Zionism, and lobbying on its behalf in US politics. - Silver was: - A Representative of American Zionism at the [[World Zionist Organization]]'s Zionist Congress. - President of [[United Israel Appeal|United Palestine Appeal]] (1938-1943). - Co-chair and founder of the [[United Jewish Appeal (UJA)]] (1938-1944). - [[Zionist Organization of America (ZOA)]] President (1945-46). - President and founder of the American Zionist Emergency Council (AZEC) (1933-34, 1945-49). - The AZEC is the precursor to the [[American Zionist Council (AZC)]], which is the precursor to [[AIPAC]]. - He was given the position by [[Chaim Weizmann]]. - Chairman of the Jewish Agency for Palestine, American Section (1946-48). - Beginning in the 30s Silver began courting Republican politicians, rare for a Jew at the time. - During the 1944 election, Silver pulls strings within the Republican party to add support for a Jewish state to the party platform. - While at the ZOA and AZEC Silver worked closely with [[Emanuel Neumann]]. The two were involved in the 1942 Biltmore Conference which resulted in the [[Biltmore Program]], a pivotal change in the Zionist movement. - Silver worked with [[David Ben-Gurion]] on the [[Biltmore Program]] and various diaspora objectives. - Silver worked, often contentiously, with rabbi [[Stephen S. Wise]] at the AZEC. - Silver created a bridge to Zionist Christians through his sponsoring of Zionist Christian organizations under the [[American Palestine Committee]]. - Silver was a key voice in securing the [[UN Partition Plan]], and its support from the US government. - Silver used the power and money of the [[Zionist Organization of America (ZOA)]] to lobby President Truman to support the [[UN Partition Plan]] and to recognize Israel. - Silver became an advisor to President Eisenhower on the Middle East. - Silver met with Israeli Foreign Minister [[Moshe Sharett]] in the mid 50s. - This meeting took place during Sharett's US tour for the [[Israel Bonds]] bond drive along with the [[United Jewish Appeal (UJA)]] drive. #### References - Wikipedia. 2025. _“Abba Hillel Silver.”_ [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abba_Hillel_Silver](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abba_Hillel_Silver). - United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation. _Israel Bond Unit Raises $42,318,550._ New York: January 8, 1956. PDF file. [https://www.israellobby.org/Israel_Bonds/1215763-0-097-NY-1245.PDF](https://www.israellobby.org/Israel_Bonds/1215763-0-097-NY-1245.PDF). - United States Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation. _Zionists Appeal to Eisenhower to Back U.S. Arms for Israel._ New York: January 9, 1956. PDF file. [https://www.israellobby.org/Israel_Bonds/1215763-0-097-NY-1245.PDF](https://www.israellobby.org/Israel_Bonds/1215763-0-097-NY-1245.PDF). - Cohen, Philip. 2023. “Abba Hillel Silver.” _EBSCO Research Starters_ (History). [https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/abba-hillel-silver](https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/abba-hillel-silver). - Medoff, Rafael. 2003. “60 Years Ago This Week: Abba Hillel Silver’s Rise to Zionist Leadership.” _Wyman Institute_, August 24. [http://new.wymaninstitute.org/2003/08/60‑years‑ago‑this‑week‑abba‑hillel‑silvers‑rise‑to‑zionist‑leadership/](http://new.wymaninstitute.org/2003/08/60%E2%80%91years%E2%80%91ago%E2%80%91this%E2%80%91week%E2%80%91abba%E2%80%91hillel%E2%80%91silvers%E2%80%91rise%E2%80%91to%E2%80%91zionist%E2%80%91leadership/).