genuine eff orts but despite them. And second, in terms of their sheer
number, depth, and diversity, Zionist contacts with and eff orts toward
India were extensive and far reaching.
There is a catch, however. A comparison between the Zionist eff orts in
India and in other parts of the world leads us to a diff erent and equally
important understanding. A number of fi gures within the Zionist move-
ment have acknowledged and even lamented that their eff orts in cultivat-
ing India were too meager. Olsvanger’s observation in 1937 clearly high-
lighted this dilemma. In a candid letter to the British Zionist leader Selig
Brodetsky, he observed:
If some twenty years ago Zionists would have tried to come into con-
tact with Jawaharlal Nehru, when he studied in Cambridge, we
would not see him today taking up such an attitude of lack of under-
standing towards our cause. The same applies to the greater part of
those who are today leaders of Indian politics. But the greater part of
their intellectuals... are at present spending their University years
in one or other En glish towns. That is why the propaganda amongst
Indians should be pursued in En gland.... The most dangerous and
irresponsible attitude on our part would be to say: “We do not need
these Asiatics at this juncture in view of the probable change in the
Palestine po liti cal status.” We cannot take Palestine out of Asia. And
what ever the changes may be, friendly connections with big Asiatic
communities will always be of paramount importance to us.^108A few years earlier, another Zionist emissary had warned: “The time
has come for the Zionist Or ga ni za tion to consider without delay what
mea sures can be taken that Zionist may turn its face, so to speak, to the
East.”^109
In the absence of any visible progress toward improving contacts with
Asia, a couple of years later, Olsvanger suggested:
Work in India must begin as soon as possible. This would be a three-
fold task.
a. Work amongst the Hindus, chiefl y in Congress quarters.
b. Work among Moslems.
c. Work amongst the Bene Israel...
In addition to this, contact must be kept with the British offi cials
in India, some of whom may one day be transferred to Palestine.the congress party and the yishuv 65