New Palestine was a magazine founded in December 1919, initially as a weekly and later as a bi-weekly, then monthly, published in New York. It was the official organ of the Zionist Organization of America (ZOA).

After the Establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, it was renamed The American Zionist and remained in publication until at least 1985.The New Palestine⁩ 23 December 1919 - 1 October 1985 (990 issues; The National Library of Israel. Retrieved on 28 December 2025

History

It started as a four-page publication. The first issue was published on 23 December 1919 and read: "For the Restoration and up-building of a Jewish Palestine."(23 December 1919). Let us Rise Up and Build The New Palestine. Retrieved on 28 December 2025 It's cover story "Let us Rise Up and Build" was written by Judge Julian Mack. Contributions were also made by Jacob de Haas and Abraham Haym Fromenson, a prominent Zionist and an influential figure in the American Jewish press, noted for being the first person to introduce English‑language pages into the Yiddish newspapers published in the United States.(13 April 1935). A.H. FROMENSON, 60, EX-EDITOR, IS DEAD; Prominent Zionist Introduced English Language Pages in Yiddish Press. The New York Times. Retrieved on 28 December 2025

Its managing editor was Isidore Cooperman.

It evolved from The Maccabean Magazine by Louis Lipsky and Meyer Wolf Weisgal. Under Weisgal's editorship, The New Palestine included contributors such as Joseph Brainin, Gershon Agron, Ludwig Lewisohn, Pierre van Paassen, Robert Weltsch, Leonard Stein and Marvin Lowenthal.Levenson, A. T. (2022). Maurice Samuel: Life and Letters of a Secular Jewish Contrarian. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press. ISBN 9780817321307.

Contributors also included Menachem Ribalow (1895–1953), who published numerous articles in New Palestine, and the philanthropist and businessman Jacob Henry Schiff (born Jakob Heinrich Schiff; January 10, 1847 – September 25, 1920).

The March 27, 1925 issue was dedicated in its entirety to the opening of The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

In 1934, Samuel Caplan was editor.

Ludwig Lewisohn (May 30, 1882 – December 31, 1955) novelist, literary critic, the drama critic for The Nation and then its associate editor, was its editor and editorial-writer between 1943 and 1948.

The 18 May 1948 issue was dedicated to the Establishment of the State of Israel, made four days earlier on 14 May.(18 May 1948). World Salutes Israel The New Palestine. Retrieved on 28 December 2025. The proclamation of independence was reprinted on the front page of the periodical. Chaim Weizmann, first President of Israel contributed an article titled "A Hand of Friendship to the Arab Peoples".Weizmann, Chaim (18 May 1948).A Hand of Friendship to the Arab Peoples The New Palestine. Retrieved on 28 December 2025. Weizmann also thanked American Jewry "who have contributed so much to the Jewish national revival in Palestine." The issue also included contributions from Rabbi Stephen Samuel Wise,Wise, Stephen Samuel (18 May 1948). God Bless Eretz Israel The New Palestine. Retrieved on 28 December 2025. Herbert H. Lehman,Lehman, Herbert H. (18 May 1948). US Recognition - Triumph of Justice The New Palestine. Retrieved on 28 December 2025. first Jewish Governor of New York, Rabbi Abba Hillel Silver,Silver, Abba Hillel (18 May 1948). Jewish State Will Strive For Peace and Cooperation The New Palestine. Retrieved on 28 December 2025. Jorge García GranadosGranados, Jorge García (18 May 1948). To the New Nation The New Palestine. Retrieved on 28 December 2025. and Rabbi Israel Goldstein.(18 May 1948). A New Star is Born - Star of Zion The New Palestine. Retrieved on 28 December 2025. The periodical also published an editorial titled "Long Live the Republic of Israel."(18 May 1948). Editorial - Long Live the Republic of Israel The New Palestine. Retrieved on 28 December 2025.

The June 1967 issue was dedicated to the Six Day War. It included contributions from Rabbi Max Nussbaum, Yosef Saphir, Rabbi Charles E. Shulman, Zalman Abramov, Gideon Hausner and Bill Mauldin(republished from The New Republic).

References

External links Archive of issues between 1919 - 1985 at National Library of Israel