The new Jewish journalism, 1907–1914

On 12 December 1906, Leopold Greenberg, the owner of a successful advertising agency and publisher of the Jewish Year Book, wrote excitedly to his Dutch friend and fellow Zionist, the banker Jacobus Kann: ‘I heard yesterday that the “Jewish Chronicle” is in the market for sale, and I today saw the proprietor and asked him if he would be willing to sell it to me. Of course I need not tell you what “me” in this regard means.’ Greenberg was a leading English Zionist and a member of the Inner Actions Committee of the World Zionist Organisation, as was Kann. ‘I have an idea’, he continued, ‘that it would be a most excellent thing if our Movement could have the paper, assuming the price asked is not exorbitant and will show a fair return on the outlay.’ He was spurred on by knowledge that the syndicate which owned the Jewish World was also interested in acquiring the Jewish Chronicle. Its members were strongly pro-ITO and were their bid to succeed, ‘This would be an absolute disaster.’ Whereas, ‘There is no necessity for me to point out to you the extreme value to Zionism in having such an organ, not only in so far as England is concerned, but because I believe that the future of our Movement is largely dependent upon this Country, and the J. C. has an influence outside the community.’