2025-10-22 04:56:PM <br/> Tags: #people #AmericanJewry #EarlyZionism ![[image-154.png|345x367]] # Henry Monsky (1890-1947) - Henry Monsky was a Jewish American communal leader during the first half of the 20th century. - Monsky was the child of Jewish immigrants. - Monsky was raised as an Orthodox Jew. #### Involvement in Organized Jewry - Monsky joined the Jewish fraternal order [[B'nai B'rith]] in 1911. - Monsky moved up the B'nai B'rith ranks until becoming international president of B'nai B'rith in 1938. - Monsky was president of B'nai B'rith until his death in 1947. - B'nai B'rith grew markedly under Monsky's leadership. By his death, the organization was approaching the peak of its influence within organized American Jewry. - B'nai B'rith rose to around 200,00 male members under Monsky. - The [[B'nai B'rith Youth Organization (BBYO)]] was founded in 1944, during Monsky's tenure. - The [[ADL]] and [[Hillel International]], which were formerly under the umbrella of B'nai B'rith, expanded greatly under Monsky - particularly the ADL under its aggressive director Richard Gutstadt. - Monsky organized mass fundraising campaigns to oppose Adolf Hitler prior to WWII. - Monsky later organized additional resources/aid during WWII. - Monsky was among the Jewish leaders involved in directly lobbying President Roosevelt to aid the Jews facing ill-treatment in Europe during WWII. - Monsky was a lifelong Zionist. His influence brought B'nai B'rith further into Zionism. *B'nai B'rith was not originally a Zionist organization. It began warming to Zionism after WWI.* ---- - In 1943, Monsky was the principle organizer of the American Jewish Conference, a short lived (1943-49) parliamentary style American Zionist organization. - The Conference was an umbrella representative body of the major American Jewish organizations of the time. - Monsky was an honorary chairman of the [[United Israel Appeal]] and [[United Jewish Appeal (UJA)]]. - The UJA was a large federations-style fundraising organization. The UIA was its subsidiary used to send money to Israel. - Monsky was a member of the National Refugee Service's executive committee. - In 1946, the United Service for New Americans was formed via consolidation of immigration operations at the National Refugee Service and the [[National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW)]]. - In 1949, the [[New York Association for New Americans (NYANA)]] was formed as an affiliate of the the United Service for New Americans. - In 1954, the United Service for New Americans merged with the [[Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS)]] and the [[American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC)]]'s immigration services to form the United Hias Service. - Monsky was a member of the [[American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC)]] board. - Monsky was a member of the National Council of Christians and Jews (NCCJ). - The NCCJ was later renamed to the [[National Conference for Community and Justice (NCCJ)]]. - The NCCJ today is a far left "social justice" organization. - The NCCJ calls itself a "DEI anchor institute." - Monsky was an honorary board member of [[Youth Aliyah]]. - Monsky was a consultant to the U.S. delegation at the 1945 San Francisco Conference, the organizing conference of the United Nations. - Monsky lobbied for UN provisions that would aid the Jews in Palestine, and the creation of a future Jewish state. - Monsky's second marriage was to Daisy Hirsch Rothschild. - Daisy was the widow of Albert Rothschild, of the Rothschild banking dynasty. - Daisy was the niece of [[Adolf Kraus]], the B'nai B'rith leader from 1905-1925. - Ramat Tzvi, a moshav (farming village) in northern Israel, is named after Monsky. #### References - Henry Monsky. _“Henry Monsky.”_ Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Monsky](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Monsky). - “Monsky, Henry (Zevi; 1890–1947).” _Encyclopedia.com_. https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/monsky-henry - “BBYO AZA and BBG History.” _BBYO_. https://bbyo.org/aza-bbg/bbyo-aza-and-bbg-history - “History of Service.” _B’nai B’rith International_. (WWII and 1945 UN context) https://www.bnaibrith.org/about-us/history-of-service/ - National Conference for Community and Justice. _“About Us.”_ Middletown, CT: NCCJ. [https://nccj.org/about/](https://nccj.org/about/) - “American Jewish Conference Opened with Appeal for Unity; Program of Action Outlined.” _Jewish Telegraphic Agency_, August 30, 1943. https://www.jta.org/1943/08/30/archive/american-jewish-conference-opened-with-appeal-for-unity-program-of-action-outlined - “Henry Monsky, 1890–1947.” _Berman Jewish Policy Archive_ (PDF). https://www.bjpa.org/content/upload/bjpa/mons/monsky.pdf