Nathan Chanin
Nathan Chanin (December 6, 1885 – August 8, 1965) was a Belarusian-American labor activist. He served as the general secretary of The Workmen's Circle from 1952 to 1963.
Biography
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Chanin was born in Khalopenichy, Belarus and was educated at a cheder and a Talmud Torah in Borisov.[1] Chanin became active in the Jewish Labor Bund.[2] Due to his political activities, he was sentenced to eight years in Siberia.[3]
Chanin escaped from Siberia in 1912 and immigrated to America.[4] In America, Chanin supported himself as a hat maker, which led to his involvement in the Cap and Millinery Union.[5] After several years, he became the vice-president of the Cap and Millinery Union.[6]
Following the Jewish Socialist Federation's decision to leave the Socialist Party in 1921, Chanin helped create the Jewish Socialist Verband, which opposed Communism.[7] Chanin was described by Louis Harap as part of the "spearhead of anti-Sovietism in the United States".[8] In 1954, Chanin attacked Communism, arguing that Americans were "completely unaware of the destructive nature of world communism", and defending the Workmen's Circle's efforts to aid Jewish emigration from the Soviet Union.[9] As a result of these efforts, Earl Browder accused him of secretly contributing money to anti-Communist conspiracies within the Soviet Union.[10]
Chanin served as the educational director of the Workmen's Circle from 1936 until 1952.[11] In 1952, he was elected as the Workmen's Circle's General Secretary, replacing Joseph Baskin.[12] He retired from the position of General Secretary in 1963.[13]
References
[edit]- ↑ "Khanin, Nokhum (Nathan Chanin) — The Congress for Jewish Culture". congressforjewishculture.org. Retrieved 2025-06-09.
- ↑ Kadar, Naomi Prawer (2017). Raising Secular Jews: Yiddish Schools and Their Periodicals for American Children, 1917–1950. Brandeis University Press. p. 265. ISBN 9781611689877.
- ↑ "Nathan Chanin, Outstanding Leader of Jewish Labor Movement, Dead". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 2025-06-09.
- ↑ "Nathan Chanin Is Dead at 78; Unionist and Liberal Party Aide". The New York Times. 1965-08-09. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-06-11.
- ↑ Shapiro, Judah L. (1970). The Friendly Society: A History of the Workmen's Society. New York: Media Judaica. p. 153.
- ↑ "Chanin's Death Saddens Jewish Labor Movement". B'nai B'rith Messenger. August 13, 1965. p. 24.
- ↑ Buhle, Mari Jo; Buhle, Paul; Georgakas, Dan, eds. (1998). Encyclopedia of the American Left (2nd ed.). New York: Oxford University Press. p. 403. ISBN 0195120884.
- ↑ Harap, Louis (March 1950). "Program on the Left". Jewish Currents. 4 (5): 24.
- ↑ "Workmen's Circle General Secretary, Chanin, Says Communism is a Menace". B'nai B'rith Messenger. p. 23.
- ↑ "Communists Launch Smear Drive Against Jewish Labor Committee". The New Leader. April 17, 1943. p. 1.
- ↑ Goldstein, Bernard (2016). Twenty Years with the Jewish Labor Bund: A Memoir of Interwar Poland. Purdue University Press. p. 317. ISBN 9781612494470.
- ↑ "Workmen's Circle Elects Chanin". The American Jewish World. September 12, 1952. p. 5.
- ↑ "Nathan Chanin Retires as General Secretary of Workmen's Circle". The Indiana Jewish Post and Opinion. April 12, 1963. p. 13.
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