Big Charity House and a Visit from Herzl — Association of Jews of Vilna and vicinity in Israel

Herzl in Vilna (from the memoirs of an eye-witness)
by Aharon Virshup

In 1903 Herzlian diplomacy reached a dead end: the meeting with the German Kaiser in Jerusalem did not achieve the desired results; with the Pope's intervention in Rome, Sultan Abdul-Hamid banned the entry of Jews into Eretz Yisrael; the pogroms in Kishinev highlighted the plight of the Jews the world over and urgently required rescue measures; the famous philanthropist known as HaNadiv (Baron Edmond de Rothschild) and Baron Hirsch disregarded Herzl's urgent warning, and his appeal to rescue his unfortunate people in their dire straits remained unheeded. In fact the Jewish people were so poor that they were unable to produce the five million pounds, which was supposed to have been raised at the opening of the Colonial Bank in London. The minimum amount of £250,000 was obtained by two loans of £60,000 by Y.L. Goldberg from Vilna and from another philanthropist.

In order to raise the spirits of the people, and to bring an important political declaration to the forthcoming Sixth Congress, Herzl visited Minister von Plehve in Russia. This was an opportunity for Herzl to become acquainted with the vast number of Jews in Russia and see if it was possible to depend on this great power in the future.

You already have a king... 

On 24^th July 1903, at 4 pm, the Paris-St. Petersburg express train arrived at Vilna station and stopped only for the meeting with the members of the delegation, headed by Boris Goldberg and his wife, Arieh Neishol?? and the Gabai M. Sultz??. Rabbi M. Reines, Y.L. Goldberg and Yaakov Ben-Yaakov greeted Herzl at one of the stations before Vilna. Dr. Herzl stepped down from the carriage, approached Rabbi Reines and inquired after his health. The rabbi greeted him with the blessing according to Jewish law. And the train continued on its way.

Following Dr. Herzl’s reception by Minister von Plehve in St. Petersburg, a confidential news item arrived in Vilna, giving him permission to visit Vilna and become personally acquainted with its Jewish residents. The rumor spread by word of mouth and thousands of people gathered in the streets daily to await Herzl’s arrival.

The multitude of Vilna Jews underwent ten whole "days of limitation" (based on the biblical expression “shloshet yemei hagbalah”) until Dr. Herzl finally surprised Vilna with a one-day visit: Sunday, 23 Menachem Av 5663 - August 16, 1903, from morning to evening. This was a real holiday for the Jews of Vilna. The streets were all packed with thousands of people dressed in holiday clothing. The police were astonished to see such a large crowd in the town, and informed the district governor of this unusual occurrence. But the governor was sympathetic and gave instructions that the celebrating crowd should not be disturbed, only that order and discipline be preserved.

When Dr. Herzl and his companions left the terminal, tens of thousands of people cheered: "Long live Dr. Herzl."  Y.L. Goldberg, Yaakov Ben-Yaakov and M. Esterman blessed him on behalf of the Jews of Vilna. The police found it awkward to welcome this regal person, but did not interfere. However, the police kept track of Herzl's movements and placed obstacles wherever he visited during that day.

Initially, an extensive plan was made according to which he would first pay a visit to the library in memory of Matityahu Strashun, in the courtyard of the Great Synagogue. Masses of people filled the streets: Germans and Jews in their tens of thousands wanted the privilege of gazing at the regal figure of the un anointed king and basking in the sight of his noble face. However, an order from higher authorities deprived the Jews of Vilna of this right. Only in the Big Charity House in Ignatowski Alley were the city's patrons able to welcome him. The veteran rabbi of Vilna, the elderly R. Shlome'le, welcomed him full of emotion, bestowing upon him the Birkat Cohanim (the priestly blessing) with a small Torah scroll and an Aron Kodesh (holy ark) which was a true work of art. Dr. Herzl kissed the Torah scroll and said:  "I truly wished to get to know my brethren in their own environment, to feel their sorrow, to see their joy and to tell them what is in my heart. But it is not up to me. Be content, therefore, with the few words I can utter and tell all our brethren that I am hopeful and am truly convinced that our hopes will be fulfilled".  After the words of gratitude delivered by the community leaders, Dr. Herzl added: "The train is moving along the tracks. There are carriages and compartments, but at the front is the locomotive, leading them all towards one purpose. This is a parable for the people of Israel who are blessed with many political parties, opinions and views, but above all is a single locomotive, driving the entire people of Israel on a single-track railway to their land and homeland - and that is Zionism." 

From the hall of the “Big Charity House” Herzl went to his hotel where he received a delegation of “Ha”Tchiyah” and Poalei Zion. From there he went to the Ben-Yaakov summer camp in Warka near Vilna. Hundreds and thousands of people accompanied him along all the streets through which his carriage passed. But the police dispersed them. The police commander who was standing beside the entrance to the hotel, told the Zionist leaders in Russian: “Gentlemen Zionists! Palestine has not yet been given to you, but a king you already have. His stature and bearing, his eyes and his black beard all indicate that he is a ruler of people in general, no matter what nation.”

Prompted by his desire to be in direct contact with the crowd and with the common Jew, Dr. Herzl travelled to Warka via Šnipiškės, a suburb of Vilna, where he met with a Jewish blacksmith, who was bending an iron bar on an anvil. He visited a carpentry shop and a workshop for knitting socks, where he witnessed six young women using knitting machines; he entered small shops selling paper, stationery, toys, haberdashery and others. He expressed interest in their private lives and saw them in their state of poverty and suffering.

The delegate Y.L. Goldberg secretly informed the board of “Hat’chiyah” - the Zionist-Nationalist-Democratic Youth Federation - of Herzl’s visit to Warka and invited him to send his representatives to this party. When the two board members, Zev Leibowitz and S.F. Prinman, set out for Warka via the Zvarintz bridge over the river Villia they came across the detectives who pointed the guests in the right direction. On arrival at the Ben-Yaakov summer residence in Warka they were introduced by Y.L Goldberg to the leader as members of the board of “Hat’chiyah” and Dr. Herzl asked what the meaning of the word “Hat’chiyah”. After having been given an explanation he stressed the great importance of Jewish youth – the future of the nation – and added: “We will soon need you for real work”.

Comrade S. Prinman raised a glass in honor of the nation’s leader and the visionary of “The Jewish State” in the name of the Zionist youth movement “Hat’chiyah”. The two above representatives of “Hat’chiyah” refused to sit at the festive meal and joined the group of youngsters outside, saying: We only came to feast our eyes, not to join a feast. Comrade Yisrael Zass of Poalei Tzion Yemin could not contain his emotions and cried: “Long live the king!” The crowd applauded him and burst into joyful song (in Yiddish):

Raise your glass, brothers, raise it higher

Drink the excellent “Carmel” wine

The eyes of the Tzar’s police detectives bored through the courtyard, but on hearing the song they retreated. The author Y.A Trivosz spoke in Hebrew in Herzl’s honor and the participants sang:

“Hurry, brothers, hurry, let us move forward

Fly, brothers, fly, to the land of our fathers.”

Ben-Yaakov, the handsome host, offered thanks in German for the great honor and privilege granted him by having the celebration take place in his abode.

Dr. Herzl stood up and spoke to the young people on the other side of the fence: “I raise my glass to the lives of those standing at the other side of the fence. My wish to you all is that we will see the day that the Jewish people will no longer have to experience fences and status.” He then continued to speak of our people’s destiny, expressing his faith in the innate people-power and emphasized that people should work at a quicker pace. Speaking specifically to the youth, he called upon them to rally round the seven-point flag and hinted at news to be announced at the upcoming Zionist Congress. He demanded an uprising, to cast off the shackles of exile and to strive for the realization of Zionism – the Jewish State.

Afraid to let Herzl walk because of the detectives who were constantly looking out for him, the youngsters took him back to town in a motorboat along the river Villia. His hand remained up in the air.

As he left Vilna, the board of “Ha’Tchiyah” appointed two of its members – Aharon Virshup (Ayub) and David Maron – to bid farewell to the honored guest and wish him a safe journey. The streets Zavalna, Chopin and Sadovi were crowded with people who had not managed to gaze upon the face of the great leader beforehand. A squadron of gendarmes and a company of police on horseback with drawn swords and knives blocked the way to the train station. The writer of these words and Maron stepped off the sidewalk and approached the open carriage in which Dr. Herzl was travelling and we stepped onto the ledge of the carriage. My friend Maron, who was tall, managed to shake Herzl’s hand and to wish him a safe journey in the name of “Ha’Tchiyah”. Dr. Herzl then held out his hand to me, but at that very moment I was hit hard on the head with a whip, and the force of the stroke and the bruising caused me to fall, and I rolled down into the Sadovi street gutter. Herzl’s hand that had been held out to me remained up in the air until he arrived at the station.

On his way to the station Herzl saw with his own eyes the crowd of his Jewish brethren and the plight in which they were living. His heart ached and he was pained by the way Jewish youth were being beaten and hurt by these wild animals, who were striking them with swords and whips left and right, and preventing them from approaching his carriage to extend an honorable welcome to the beloved leader of their people.

(A greeting card presented by the Vilna Zionists to Binyamin Ze’ev Herzl on his visit to the city)