Israel's Messenger. A Jewish Paper Devoted to the Interests of Jews and Judaism in the Far East. Vols. III, IV, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, XXIV-XXXII.

A collection of issues of the official periodical by the Shanghai Zionist Federation. The Israel's Messenger was established in 1904 by a 'Baghdadi Jew', Nissim Elias Benjamin Ezra (1883—1936). Ezra was a publisher and a Zionist who'd founded the Shanghai Zionist Federation a year prior, and had served as the editor-in-chief of the newspaper for more than 30 years until his death in 1936. Israel's Messenger was the largest and oldest Shanghai Jewish community newspaper and the world's first Zionist publication. It ran from 1904 to 1941. Its goal was to inform its readers of global affairs and of the affairs of the Jewish communities in China, Hong Kong, Manila, Singapore and elsewhere. It covered various subjects, such as the Jewish religion, Shanghai Jewish welfare organisations, local business activities, relations with the Jewish communities in Baghdad, India and the Holy Land, and of course, social gossip. An important source of knowledge about the Shanghai Jewish community which opens a unique window into a fascinating period of life in China at the turn of the twentieth century. 5 vols, small folio; issue numbers not consecutive, several lacking or duplicated; variously worn, few tears and cut-outs, some loose leaves; modern boards, loose; text in English.…