These are two letters from a collection of letters sent by Lord Balfour to various Zionist leaders following the Balfour Declaration. In addition to his 1925 trip to Palestine, these are two more examples of Balfour’s interest in the Zionist enterprise.
The first letter was sent in 1926 from Balfour to Colonel Kisch, the highest ranking Jew in the British army at the time and a senior member of the Zionist Executive in Palestine. Balfour expressed his gratitude for the gifts sent to him and his niece from the Yishuv (Jewish residents in pre-state Israel) and his hope that: “Things are prospering with all my Zionist friends.”
The second letter was written to Sir Herbert Samuel in 1929 to express Balfour’s support for the Anglo-Palestine Club. This club was founded in 1920 for those interested in the welfare of Palestine and the establishment of a Jewish national home. Balfour expressed his “heartfelt sympathy” for the club’s endeavours to forge a stronger connection between Britain and Palestine.
These letters, among others, demonstrate that Balfour’s support for the Zionist cause was not just restricted to an isolated declaration but a strong belief in helping the Jewish people in their return to their homeland.
Would You Like to Know More?
Frederick Kisch - Frederick Kisch enjoyed a successful military career, receiving the Distinguished Service Order for his war-time service and achieving the rank of lieutenant colonel. He joined the Zionist Organisation in 1922, heading the political department, and also ran the Jerusalem region of the Zionist Commission from 1923 to 1931.
Sir Herbert Samuel - Sir Herbert Samuel served as the first high commissioner of Palestine from 1920 to 1925, the first Jew to govern in Israel for over 2,000 years, and was instrumental in ensuring the recognition of Hebrew as an official language.
Connection to Parashat Tzav
Continuing on the theme of sacrifices, the parasha of Tzav gives us the details of a voluntary sacrifice brought by someone who wishes to thank God for a particularly positive experience in their life.
In this letter, Lord Balfour is expressing his thanks for presents which he has received, in a similar way to a person bringing such a sacrifice after they received good news.
