Erik Reuter asked <<Given the assumption that it was necessary to create a land and a state as a Jewish refuge after World War II, was there another alternative then the Jerusalem area?>>
Ilana. Yes. Uganda. Eric <<I don't get it. If this is not a joke, would you care to elaborate?>> Ilana According to my history books it is going back to Emil Zola - to Dreifus trials under this influence Hertzel wrote his book about Jewish country and gathered First Zionist Congress in Bazel, somewhen at the beginning of the last century (1907 I think, but I am not sure :-( ). Two places were proposed by UK as future national home of Jewish nation - Uganda and Palestine (area names, not country names). Actually it went farther than speeches - people studied the conditions of both places and prepared themselves to be farmers there. I *know* that Uganda program became obsolete shortly before Balfur declaration, because Jews had emotional connection to Israel and not to Uganda. I am not sure 100%, but I think after WWII Uganda was no longer mentioned. One of the things that Zionist Congress brought in motion is collecting money for buying land in Israel another - Aliot - arriving of big groups of man to Israel with a purpose of living and working in land of Israel. Israel is 53, but most settlement points (cities, kibutzim, villages etc. (sp) ) began *before* there was state of Israel. And I am not talking here Four Holly Cities. Ilana from Israel
