Nathan Chanin

Chanin c. 1948

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

Chanin c. 1933

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

  1. ^ "Khanin, Nokhum (Nathan Chanin) — The Congress for Jewish Culture". congressforjewishculture.org. Retrieved 2025-06-09.
  2. ^ Kadar, Naomi Prawer (2017). Raising Secular Jews: Yiddish Schools and Their Periodicals for American Children, 1917–1950. Brandeis University Press. p. 265. ISBN 9781611689877.
  3. ^ "Nathan Chanin, Outstanding Leader of Jewish Labor Movement, Dead". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 2025-06-09.
  4. ^ "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.
  5. ^ Shapiro, Judah L. (1970). The Friendly Society: A History of the Workmen's Society. New York: Media Judaica. p. 153.
  6. ^ "Chanin's Death Saddens Jewish Labor Movement". B'nai B'rith Messenger. August 13, 1965. p. 24.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ Harap, Louis (March 1950). "Program on the Left". Jewish Currents. 4 (5): 24.
  9. ^ "Workmen's Circle General Secretary, Chanin, Says Communism is a Menace". B'nai B'rith Messenger. p. 23.
  10. ^ "Communists Launch Smear Drive Against Jewish Labor Committee". The New Leader. April 17, 1943. p. 1.
  11. ^ Goldstein, Bernard (2016). Twenty Years with the Jewish Labor Bund: A Memoir of Interwar Poland. Purdue University Press. p. 317. ISBN 9781612494470.
  12. ^ "Workmen's Circle Elects Chanin". The American Jewish World. September 12, 1952. p. 5.
  13. ^ "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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