Looking Back

From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History

accessible at thejewishnews.com

62 | FEBRUARY 29 • 2024 
J
N

When Zionists
 Were Welcomed
I

t jumped off the page as I cruised the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish 
Detroit History. A half-page advertisement from Chrysler Corporation in the July 
1, 1938, issue of the Detroit Jewish Chronicle had this headline 
in big letters: “Welcome Zionists!” The ad goes on to say that 
the company took “great pleasure in extending a 
hearty welcome to members of the World Zionist 
Convention,
” before touting the quality of Chrysler 
cars and trucks, of course. 
I was shocked. Any reader of global news or just 
media reports from America will know that, in the 
current political atmosphere, if a person declares 
him/herself a Zionist, that person is taking a risk of 
being accused of all sorts of bad intentions. 
In simple terms, being a Zionist means that one 
is pro-Israel and supports a Jewish homeland. It has been so since 
Theodor Herzl published Der Judenstaat (The Jewish State) in 1897 
and held a Zionist conference in Basel, Switzerland, a year later. 
For Jews in the diaspora, the primary question was: Do you sup-
port a Jewish state, or do you believe that Jews should only concentrate on living in and support-
ing the nation in which they resided? This was a huge ideological question for American Jews in 
the 1930s, an era of intense antisemitism with the rise of Nazis in Germany, the American Bund 
(a home-grown version of Nazism), the America First Committee and Father Coughlin, just to 
name a few purveyors of anti-Jewish tropes and vicious propaganda. 
Although the question of Zionism may have generated strong opinions among American Jews 
and non-Jews, it was a public debate in the national English-language Jewish press, as well as in 
such publications as the New York Times and Time magazine. Over 12,000 pages in the Davidson 
Archive mention Zionism; nearly 3,000 pages prior to 1940. 
The coupling of anti-Zionism with such derogatory terms as “apartheid” and “colonization,
” 
and just plain old antisemitism, is a more recent development. Therefore, it was a bit of a sur-
prise to see that, in July 1938, prominent businesses were willing to openly welcome Zionists to 
Detroit. Today, sadly, convention attendees would likely be met with protesters, perhaps threats of 
bombs and violence, or the defacing of facilities in which they held meetings … or worse. 
This is why, regardless of where one stands regarding Zionism, it was refreshing to read the 
July 1, 1938, issue of the Chronicle. The conference was a front-page story declaring “1,000 
Delegates and Guests in Detroit for the 41st Annual Conclave of U.S. Zionists.
” 
Inside, on the editorial page, editor Phil Slomovitz devoted his weekly “Purely Commentary” 
column to the organization’s presidential elections. The official editorial, “The Palestinian ‘Experiment,
” is about the merits of the 
people of the Yishuv (it is good to remember that, in 1938, the area that is now Israel was part of British-Mandate Palestine). Today, a 
“Palestinian Experiment” could be construed to have many other meanings. 
Along with the Chrysler ad, it must have been heartening to see the welcomes from local businesses such as E&B Beer, Moe Leiter 
& Assoc., Snyder’s Pies and United Dairies, among others.
Zionists themselves and public debates over Zionism were welcome in Detroit in the 1930s. Were it only so in 2024. 

Want to learn more? Go to the DJN archives, available for free at thejewishnews.com.

Mike Smith
Alene and 
Graham Landau 
Archivist Chair

ing the nation in which they resided? This was a huge ideological question for American Jews in 
the 1930s, an era of intense antisemitism with the rise of Nazis in Germany, the American Bund 

Although the question of Zionism may have generated strong opinions among American Jews 

magazine. Over 12,000 pages in the Davidson 

Detroit. Today, sadly, convention attendees would likely be met with protesters, perhaps threats of 

column to the organization’s presidential elections. The official editorial, “The Palestinian ‘Experiment,
” is about the merits of the 

people of the Yishuv (it is good to remember that, in 1938, the area that is now Israel was part of British-Mandate Palestine). Today, a 

ing the nation in which they resided? This was a huge ideological question for American Jews in 
the 1930s, an era of intense antisemitism with the rise of Nazis in Germany, the American Bund 

Detroit History. A half-page advertisement from Chrysler Corporation in the July 

had this headline 

Convention,
” before touting the quality of Chrysler 

I was shocked. Any reader of global news or just 

media reports from America will know that, in the 

him/herself a Zionist, that person is taking a risk of 

In simple terms, being a Zionist means that one 

is pro-Israel and supports a Jewish homeland. It has been so since 

) in 1897 

For Jews in the diaspora, the primary question was: Do you sup-

port a Jewish state, or do you believe that Jews should only concentrate on living in and support-
port a Jewish state, or do you believe that Jews should only concentrate on living in and support-
port a Jewish state, or do you believe that Jews should only concentrate on living in and support-

