International Jewish Labor Bund
The International Jewish Labor Bund was a New York-based international Jewish socialist organization, based on the legacy of the General Jewish Labour Bund founded in the Russian empire in 1897 and the Polish Bund that was active in the interwar years. The IJLB is composed by local Bundist groups around the world. It was an "associated organisation" of the Socialist International, similar in status to the World Labour Zionist Movement or the International League of Religious Socialists. The World Coordinating Council/Committee of the Jewish Labor Bund was dissolved in New York in the mid-2000s ., although local Bundist groups or groups inspired by the Jewish Labor Bund still exist in France, the UK, Australia and the State of Israel. History. The Polish Bund had established a representation in New York in 1941, where it began publishing "Unser Tsait". In 1947, a conference was held in Brussels at which the World Coordinating Committee of Bundist and Affiliated Socialist Jewish Organizations was founded (i.e. the IJLB). Emmanuel Novogrodski was the secretary of the IJLB until 1961. Novgrodski had been the secretary of the Polish Bund and participated in setting up its New York representation. Early 1948, the  Polish Bund withdrew from the World Coordinating Committee. The IJLB was admitted with an observer statute on the June 1947 Zürich Conference of the reconstituted Socialist International and as an "associated organization" at the Frankfurt founding Congress of the new Socialist International in 1951. In 1997 commemorative events were organized to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Bund in New York City, London, Warsaw, Paris and Brussels, where the chairwoman of the Belgian chapter, herself 100 years old, was present. Summary of ideology. In 1958, the Jewish Labor Bund released a pamphlet commemorating the organization's 60th birthday. In it , the Bund summed up its ideology in seven points. Leadership. Presidents General secretaries Executives of the World Coordinating Committee. Executive of the World Coordinating Committee in 1957: David Meier, Abraham Stolar, Emanuel Sherer, Emanuel Novogrodski, Benjamin Tabatchinski, Pinchas Schwartz, Leon Oler, Alexander Erlich, J.S. Hertz, Joseph Gutgold, Hershel Himelfarb, Baruch Shefner Members of the World Coordinating Committee 1957: Peretz Guterman, F. Shrager, Leon Stern (all three from France), Meyer Treibeer, Berl Fuchs (both from Brazil), Berl Rosner (England), Tschechanowski (Belgium), Shimon Yezher, Tuvie Meisel (both from Mexico), Kowalsman (Uruguay), Alexander Mints, Dr. M. Peretz (both from Argentina), S. M. Oshry , M. L. Polin, Ch. S. Kasdan (all from USA), Artur Lermer, Manie Reinhartz (both from Canada), Paul Olberg (Sweden), Bunem Wiener, Mendel Kosher, (both from Australia), Bentzl Zalwitz, Pesach Burshin, Israel Artuski (all three from Israel) Affiliated groups. Bund groups continue to meet in the United Kingdom (Jewish Socialists' Group), France (Centre Medem – Arbeiter Ring), Denmark, Canada, USA, Australia (Jewish Labour Bund, Inc and S.K.I.F.), Argentina, Uruguay and Israel (Arbeter-ring in Yisroel – Brith Haavoda). From 1959–1978 the Bund operated a summer youth camp called Camp Hemshekh in the Catskills region of New York State. The surviving youth movement of  the Bund, S.K.I.F., also ran summer camps in Canada and in Melbourne, Australia. Today, S.K.I.F. operates in Melbourne, Australia, and in France since 1963 as the Secular Club of Jewish Children (, CLEJ). Press. The IJLB published in New York a monthly journal in Yiddish, "Unser Tsait". It also published the "Jewish Labor Bund Bulletin" and the "Bulletin of the Jewish Youth Movement". Its Australian and Israeli chapters have their own magazines, "Unser Gedank" and "Lebns Fragn". In 1957, for the sixtieth years of existence of the Bund, the IJLB published a commemorative book in Yiddish and English with photographs, "Der  Bund Un Bilder, 1897-1957".