Herbert Bentwich
Encyclopedia
Herbert Bentwich (1856, Whitechapel
– 1932, Jerusalem) was a British Zionist leader and lawyer.
He was an authority on copyright law, and owner/editor of the Law Journal for many years. He was a leading member of the English Hovevei Zion
and one of the first followers of Theodor Herzl
in England. In 1897 Bentwich he led a group of 21, including the writer Israel Zangwill
, on a tour of holy sites and new settlements in Palestine on behalf of the Maccabaeans
, and in 1911 he acquired land for settlement at Gezer, near Ramleh on behalf of the Maccabean Land Company. He later succeeded his brother-in-law Solomon J. Solomon as president of the Maccabaeans.
Bentwich was a founder of the British Zionist Federation in 1899 and for some time served as its vice-chairman. He was a legal adviser for the Jewish Colonial Trust. From 1916 to 1918 he served on the Zionist political advisory committee under Chaim Weizmann
. Bentwich was a regular visitor to Palestine after 1921 and settled in Jerusalem in late 1929.
Susannah Bentwich had died in London in 1915, and Herbert died at his home in Rehavia on 25 June 1932. He was survived by ten of his eleven children, eight of whom eventually settled permanently in Palestine. His eldest son, Norman Bentwich
, a leading barrister, also spent much of his professional life there, and another son, Joseph Bentwich
, was awarded the Israel Prize
, for education, in 1962.
Whitechapel
Whitechapel is a built-up inner city district in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, London, England. It is located east of Charing Cross and roughly bounded by the Bishopsgate thoroughfare on the west, Fashion Street on the north, Brady Street and Cavell Street on the east and The Highway on the...
– 1932, Jerusalem) was a British Zionist leader and lawyer.
He was an authority on copyright law, and owner/editor of the Law Journal for many years. He was a leading member of the English Hovevei Zion
Hovevei Zion
Hovevei Zion , also known as Hibbat Zion , refers to organizations that are now considered the forerunners and foundation-builders of modern Zionism....
and one of the first followers of Theodor Herzl
Theodor Herzl
Theodor Herzl , born Benjamin Ze’ev Herzl was an Ashkenazi Jew Austro-Hungarian journalist and the father of modern political Zionism and in effect the State of Israel.-Early life:...
in England. In 1897 Bentwich he led a group of 21, including the writer Israel Zangwill
Israel Zangwill
Israel Zangwill was a British humorist and writer.-Biography:Zangwill was born in London on January 21, 1864 in a family of Jewish immigrants from Czarist Russia, to Moses Zangwill from what is now Latvia and Ellen Hannah Marks Zangwill from what is now Poland. He dedicated his life to championing...
, on a tour of holy sites and new settlements in Palestine on behalf of the Maccabaeans
Maccabaeans
The Maccabaeans is an Anglo-Jewish charity. Started in 1891, it is a friendly society, established in 1894, and registered on the 8th of May, 1901, under the Friendly Societies' Act, as amended 1896...
, and in 1911 he acquired land for settlement at Gezer, near Ramleh on behalf of the Maccabean Land Company. He later succeeded his brother-in-law Solomon J. Solomon as president of the Maccabaeans.
Bentwich was a founder of the British Zionist Federation in 1899 and for some time served as its vice-chairman. He was a legal adviser for the Jewish Colonial Trust. From 1916 to 1918 he served on the Zionist political advisory committee under Chaim Weizmann
Chaim Weizmann
Chaim Azriel Weizmann, , was a Zionist leader, President of the Zionist Organization, and the first President of the State of Israel. He was elected on 1 February 1949, and served until his death in 1952....
. Bentwich was a regular visitor to Palestine after 1921 and settled in Jerusalem in late 1929.
Susannah Bentwich had died in London in 1915, and Herbert died at his home in Rehavia on 25 June 1932. He was survived by ten of his eleven children, eight of whom eventually settled permanently in Palestine. His eldest son, Norman Bentwich
Norman Bentwich
Norman De Mattos Bentwich OBE MC was a British barrister and legal academic who served as Legal Secretary and the first Attorney-General of Mandatory Palestine from 1918 to 1931. A lifelong Zionist, Bentwich was close to the moderate wing of the movement...
, a leading barrister, also spent much of his professional life there, and another son, Joseph Bentwich
Joseph Bentwich
-Biography:Bentwich was born in 1902 in London, United Kingdom. His father was Herbert Bentwich, a lawyer and a leading British Zionist and his mother was Suzannah Bentwich . From 1920 to 1923, Bentwich studied at the University of Cambridge and, from 1923 to 1924, at an educational institute of...
, was awarded the Israel Prize
Israel Prize
The Israel Prize is an award handed out by the State of Israel and is largely regarded as the state's highest honor. It is presented annually, on Israeli Independence Day, in a state ceremony in Jerusalem, in the presence of the President, the Prime Minister, the Knesset chairperson, and the...
, for education, in 1962.