Berl Katznelson

Berl Katznelson (Hebrew: ברל כצנלסון‎, 25 January 1887 – 12 August 1944) was one of the intellectual founders of Labor Zionism and was instrumental to the establishment of the modern state of Israel.In this capacity, together with Meir Rothberg of the Kinneret Farm,[3] Katznelson founded in 1916 the consumer co-operative known as Hamashbir with the goal of supplying the Jewish communities of Palestine with food at affordable prices during the terrible shortage years of the First World War.In 1925, together with Moshe Beilinson, Katznelson established the Davar daily newspaper, and became its first editor, a position he held until his death, as well as becoming the founder and first editor-in-chief of the Am Oved publishing house.[7] In the late 1930s and early 1940s, Katznelson advocated that the transfer of the natives of Palestine be extended, citing as a positive model the Soviet deportation of the Volga Germans to Siberia.[9] Katznelson also spoke of Jewish self-hatred, saying:"Is there another People on Earth so emotionally twisted that they consider everything their nation does despicable and hateful, while every murder, rape, robbery committed by their enemies fill their hearts with admiration and awe?Many streets throughout Israel are named in his memory, including a High School in Kfar Saba, and the Israeli Postal Service has issued a commemorative stamp.