Vintage Jewish Zionist 1945 Poster – Hadassah Protects the Health of 75,000 Children in Palestine “Ertz Israel” (WWII Era Fundraising Print) Extremely Rare

$3,200.00

1 in stock

Vintage Jewish Zionist 1945 Poster – Hadassah Protects the Health of 75,000 Children in Palestine (WWII Era Fundraising Print)

This powerful World War II–era fundraising poster was issued by Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America, and stands as a moving testament to American Jewish commitment to the health and future of Jewish children in Mandatory Palestine. The design is striking in its clarity: a compassionate nurse wearing a cap marked with a Star of David bends protectively over a circle of children who look up to her with trust and hope. Executed in bold blue and warm red tones, the composition is clean, modern, and emotionally direct—an image of care, responsibility, and national renewal. The headline declares with confidence: “Hadassah Protects the Health of 75,000 Children in Palestine,” transforming the poster into both a call to action and a proud statement of achievement.

This poster was part of a series produced during World War II to mobilize American Jewish support for medical and social services in the Yishuv (the pre-state Jewish community in Palestine). At a time when Europe was engulfed in destruction and the Jewish people faced annihilation, the Jewish community in Palestine was engaged in determined nation-building under the constraints of the British Mandate. The 1939 White Paper severely restricted Jewish immigration just as refugees desperately sought safe haven. Wartime shortages, economic strain, political tension with British authorities, and fears of Axis expansion into the Middle East created an atmosphere of uncertainty. Yet hospitals, clinics, nursing programs, and child welfare services continued to expand. The foundations of Israel’s future public health system were being built even as the world was at war.

Founded in 1912 by Henrietta Szold in New York, Hadassah became one of the most important bridges between American Jewry and the Land of Israel. Decades before statehood, the organization established hospitals, public health stations, infant welfare clinics, and vaccination campaigns. Its medical center on Mount Scopus in Jerusalem symbolized modern Jewish revival through science and humanitarian service. During the war years, Hadassah’s work was essential: tens of thousands of children received preventive and lifesaving care through its programs.

For American Jews connected to Zionism and the building of Israel, this poster represents partnership in action. It reflects the direct role that American Jewish communities played in sustaining and strengthening Jewish life in Palestine during one of the darkest chapters of modern history. Unlike military propaganda, this is a poster of life—of healing, protection, and continuity. Healthy children meant a viable Jewish future.

Artistically, the poster reflects mid-20th-century modernist graphic language: strong outlines, flat color fields, and emotionally focused composition. The nurse figure symbolizes Hadassah itself—maternal yet professional, American yet deeply Zionist in mission. The children gathered around her represent the rebirth of Jewish life in its ancestral homeland during wartime adversity.

This is a historically important and emotionally resonant artifact for collectors of Zionist art, Jewish American history, and pre-state Israel memorabilia. It carries both documentary value and deep symbolic meaning for families whose parents or grandparents supported Hadassah campaigns and believed in the building of a Jewish homeland.

Technique, Printer’s Mark and Size: Linocut print. Good condition. Official printer’s stamp at lower margin: “Color Displays Co., N.Y.C.” 60 × 45 cm (approximately 23.6 × 17.7 inches).