The World That Was
Zionism and Politics
Zionism - “New Winds”
“Beitar” group, Wolbrum
“Beitar” training brigade, Wolbrom
Right-wing “Poale Zion”
“Hanoar Hatzioni”
Girls learn a trade in preparation for immigration to Eretz Yisrael
Evening Hebrew classes for members of "Hanoar Hatzioni"
A “Hashomer” group on a trip to Ojcow
A “Hashomer” group
The Freiheit youth group
“Following the Russians retreat from Wolbrom and the Austrian occupation [in World War I], new winds began to blow in Wolbrom. Progressive opinions began to develop gradually, calling for the renewal of Jewish thought, for a reevaluation of Jewish cultural assets, for the elimination of ignorance and religious backwardness and for enlightenment of Jewish personal and public life. Wolbrom was not unique in this respect. The youngsters began to secretly read newspapers and to educate themselves by reading books that had begun to appear in Hebrew and Yiddish. As soon as these new ideas began to blossom in Wolbrom, the Orthodox became alarmed: ‘have the bad tidings reached us too?' ...With influence from the outside, the number of followers of renewal grew by the hundreds...They read contemporary literature and books; they would meet for joint reading sessions; they decided to learn Hebrew and disseminate the language among other youngsters; and they established a library in town. Many drew their Zionist ideals from the library. And from there, the ideas went out and spread on, conquering the hearts of the youngsters. Young Hasidim and others who were experiencing an identity crisis joined Zionism and its literature, and the reins were released. It became clear that even though Jewish Wolbrom had stagnated for many generations, the ideas of national renewal had hauled the community out of its old traditions, and that it had reinvigorated and elevated it. Thus contemporary forces took over. The preachers of Zion calling for people to settle in the Land of Israel imbued the hearts of the youngsters with ideas of renewal, their words finding a fertile ground. The Hebrew spirit was victorious. Nevertheless the importance of Hasidism did not diminish and no one undermined them, but they were no longer a factor that stood in the way of the general progress.”
Sh. Barkai in Wolbrom Irenu
