AUERBACH, ISRAEL

AUERBACH, ISRAEL (1878–1956), Zionist writer. Auerbach was born in Wissek, Posen province (then Germany). He joined the Zionist group at the University of Berlin, together with his brother elias auerbach , his two brothers-in-law, arthur hantke and heinrich loewe , and alfred klee , all of whom became leaders of German Zionism. Auerbach was active in Zionist circles in Berne where he became a teacher. From 1908 until 1920 Auerbach directed the educational network in Constantinople of the hilfsverein der juden . He enlisted the sympathies of many influential personalities for the Zionist cause. After returning to Berlin in 1920, he became secretary-general of the Hochschule fuer die Wissenschaft des Judentums. Auerbach directed the keren hayesod office in France from 1933 to 1936, and its Jerusalem office from 1936. Auerbach contributed articles to the Zionist and Jewish press, outstanding of which are his reports from Constantinople written for the central Zionist organ, Die Welt. He also published poetry, essays, and a play, Mose (1925, in German), which was performed on the occasion of the 14th Zionist Congress. -BIBLIOGRAPHY: Davar (June 18, 1956); MB (June 8, 1956). (Getzel Kressel)