Chashmonai – Student Corporation's file / תיק , חשמונאי – תאגיד סטודנטים

✉️ Invitation to the Festive Assembly of the "Hasmonaea" Academic Association in Tel Aviv

These documents record the extensive activity of the Zionist student association "Hasmonaea", which was founded in Riga and later moved to Tel Aviv. The collection includes official correspondence, invitations to social events, and lists of office holders reflecting the cultural and organizational life of its members during the 1930s. Among the sources are articles in Russian describing the atmosphere of the association as well as exchanges on ideological matters with the Revisionist movement in London. In addition, a later letter from 2006 sheds light on the documented history of the association from its founding in 1922 until its dissolution in Latvia with the Soviet occupation. The collection as a whole presents a broad picture of Jewish student identity combining European academic tradition with national aspirations in the Land of Israel.

The history of the Jewish community in Estonia, as reflected in these sources, is closely intertwined with the activities of the student corporation "Hasmonaea" (Hasmonaea), which was founded in Riga but established branches and maintained extensive connections with students in Tartu (Dorpat) in Estonia (O21-10f).

Establishment and Foundations of the Organization

The student corporation "Hasmonaea" was founded in Riga on 1 Iyar 5682, April 29, 1922 (O21-10f). The founders of the association were five young students: Victor Goldberg, Eliezer Hochman, Helstein (whose first name is uncertain in the source and appears with a question mark), Yaakov Yablson, and Monia Protkin (O21-10f). The aim of the organization was to educate Jewish academic youth in the spirit of Zionism, to work toward the establishment of a Jewish state in the Land of Israel, and to volunteer for the benefit of others (O21-10f). The organization adopted a clearly Zionist-Revisionist orientation and became the first student corporation in the world to join this movement (O21-10f).

Symbols, Hierarchy, and Organizational Structure

The central institution of the corporation was the assembly (Convent), which convened once a week, usually on Wednesdays (O21-10f). According to the organization’s regulations ("oral tradition"), great attention was paid to the exact time of opening the assembly, and the Senior (president) opened the meeting by giving a signal with a fencing sword on a special wooden surface (O21-10f).
The corporation had defined symbols: a coat of arms (Wappen) composed of a Star of David and lion figures, a small emblem (Zirkel), and a flag in the colors sky blue, gold, and white (O21-10f). The printed source notes that these colors symbolized the sky (blue), the sun (gold), and purity (white) (O21-10f). Members of the organization were divided into ranks: "Fuchs" – a young member in training, "Bursch" – a full member, and "Philister" – a university graduate (O21-10f). The leadership of the organization, the "Chargierten Convent" (the officers’ council), included positions such as Senior (Senior) – president, Vice-Senior (Vice-senior) – deputy, and Drittchargierter (Drittchargierter) – secretary (O21-10f). In a typed document dated January 27, 1932, the names of the officers elected for that semester are listed: Zalman Stuzik as Senior, Tzvi Hochman as Vice-Senior, Gershon Friedman as Drittchargierter, and Chayil Einbut as "Philis" (O21-2f).

Activity in Estonia (Tartu)

The connection to Estonia was expressed in the establishment of a branch in Tartu called "Habronia" (Habronia) (O21-10f). The sources mention the existence of a protocol book of "Hasmonaea-Tartu" from the years 1937–1939, written in Yiddish and later translated into German (O21-9f, O21-10f). In a letter from Shmuel Kadishevitz dated June 2006, it is noted that he possesses a copy of this book (O21-9f). Joint jubilee celebrations were also held in which representatives from Tartu, Riga, and Kaunas participated (O21-10f). In a handwritten note on an invitation to a festive convent in Tel Aviv in 1934, the name "H. Orion" is mentioned (O21-6f).

• Ze'ev Jabotinsky: maintained very close relations with the corporation, visited its clubs, and even composed for it the "Flag Song" (O21-10f). In a printed article under the pen name "Altalena" published in the journal "Razsvjet" in 1926, he described the "Hasmonaeans" as young people proudly wearing the organization’s attire and conducting passionate ideological debates (O21-5f, O21-10f). Jabotinsky participated in assemblies (convents) of the organization and was photographed with the corporation’s leadership in Riga in 1929 and 1933 (O21-10f).
• Abba Achimeir: a prominent figure who took an active part in the organization’s events in Estonia, particularly in the ceremonial dedication of the flag of the "Hasmonaea-Tartu" branch held in 1928 (O21-10f).
• Uri Zvi Greenberg: was invited by the corporation to deliver a series of lectures on political topics in August 1931 (O21-10f).
• Simon Dubnow: the famous historian was among the guest lecturers invited to speak before members of the corporation at open assemblies (O21-10f).
• Dr. Yaakov Winshel: was active within the branch in the Land of Israel and delivered a lecture titled "In the Kingdom of the Kingdom of Israel" at an assembly held in Tel Aviv in 1934 (O21-6f).
• Shmuel Kadishevitz: served as a member of the organization’s leadership and was involved in documenting its history, including holding a copy of the protocol book of the Tartu branch (O21-9f, O21-10f). This information appears in his personal letters from the years 2002 and 2006 (O21-8f, O21-9f).
• Tzvi Segal: a lawyer who managed the "Hasmonaea" branch in Tel Aviv for many decades (O21-10f). According to a handwritten note signed "S.K.", he died in 1990 and his personal archive was transferred to the Jabotinsky Institute (O21-10f).

A handwritten note (signed "S.K.") in the margin of a document states that attorney Tzvi Segal, who managed the "Hasmonaea" branch in the Land of Israel, died in 1990 and that his archive was transferred to the Jabotinsky Institute (O21-10f).

List of Sources

• O21-1f : Letter of the "Hasmonaea" corporation from Riga to the "World Union of Revisionist Zionists" in London, 1932.
• O21-2f : Printed notice on the election of officers in "Hasmonaea" for the first semester of 1932.
• O21-3f : Handwritten letter from the leadership of "Hasmonaea" in Riga, November 1930.
• O21-4f : Official letter in German from the "Hasmonaea" corporation to London, December 1932.
• O21-5f : Printed article in Russian by "Altalena" (Ze'ev Jabotinsky) about the "Hasmonaea" corporation.
• O21-6f : Printed invitation to a convent of "Hasmonaea" in Tel Aviv from 1934 with handwritten notes.
• O21-7f : Invitation to a festive convent and promotion ceremony of the "Philisters" in Tel Aviv (May 1933).
• O21-8f : Letter from Shmuel Kadishevitz (July 2006) accompanying a booklet on the history of "Hasmonaea".
• O21-9f : Letter from Shmuel Kadishevitz noting the existence of the protocol book of "Hasmonaea-Tartu" (Estonia).
• O21-10f : Comprehensive printed historical review of the "Hasmonaea" corporation (1922–1940) including appendices and handwritten notes.

O21-1f

O21-2f

O21-3f

O21-4f

O21-5f

O21-6f

O21-7f

O21-8f

O21-9f

O21-10f

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