Zion in Africa: The Jews of Zambia

by Hugh MacMillan, Frank Shapiro

Overview

This work represents the definitive account of the Jewish community in central Africa. It tells the story of the coming of the first Jews to the area in the late 19th century, the heyday of the Jewish community in the mid-20th century, and its decline since Zambian independence. Dealing primarily with the Jewish traders in Zambia who flourished in the face of both anti-semitism and their own acute social dislocation, Macmillan explores a number of interrelated topics: the colonial office discussions about Jewish immigration in the 1930s, the attempts to settle refugees in Africa by both pro-and anti-semites, Jewish religious life in the region, and the remarkable cultural and professional role played by the Jewish settlers. Setting these issues in the context of a general history of southern and central Africa, this book constitutes a major contribution to our understanding of the economic history of the entire region. It will be of interest to both historians of Africa and anyone concerned with economic development, identity and immigrant communities.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781784536664
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	03/30/2017
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	400
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

Hugh Macmillan is Professor of History at the University of TranskeiNot available at this time.

Table of Contents

Maps vii

List of Illustrations ix

Foreword xi

List of Abbreviations xiii

1 Jews on the Frontier 1

2 The Susman Saga: the Early Years, 1901-30 16

5 Jewish Networks, the Line of Rail and the Growth of Towns: 1905-39 38

4 A Wandering Jew: Moss Dobkins's Story 70

5 The Copperbelt: Boom, Bust and Recovery, 1924-39 82

6 'Land of Milk and Honey': Settlement Schemes and Immigration Debates, 1934-39 103

7 Escape from the Holocaust 120

8 Bigger Business: from the Depression to Independence, 1930-64 133

9 The Climax of the Community, 1945-70 158

10 The Galaun Story 182

11 Bigger Business Continued: Independence and After 194

12 Religion 206

13 Politics 224

14 Intellectuals and Some Professionals 259

15 Conclusion 286

16 Epilogue: 1999-2016 294

Notes and References 326

Sources 353

Index 365

Editorial Reviews

Dealing primarily with the Jewish traders and farmers in Zambia, who immigrated in the early part of the century, Macmillan (history, U. of Transkei) and Shapiro, who has taught Jewish history in Israel, Zambia, and England, depict the rise and fall of the Jewish communities in central Africa. They argue that these German and Yiddish-speaking newcomers flourished in the face of both anti- Semitism and their own social dislocation. The authors set issues such as the arrival and settlement of Jewish refugees from the Holocaust; Jewish religious life in the region; and the cultural and professional roles played by the Jewish settlers, in the context of a general history of southern and central Africa. Distributed by St. Martin's Press. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews

"...Hugh Macmillan and Frank Shapiro have given us an absorbing work that consistently sheds unexpected light on many facets of the history of Northern Rhodesia and Zambia over the past century. " —African Studies Review

From the Publisher