Reuben Brainin, pioneer Zionist, Hebraist and writer, died this morning of a heart stroke at the home of his son, Joseph. He was 77. His body will be taken to Montreal for burial. He is survived by two sons, Joseph and Moses, the latter living in Montreal, and a daughter, Mrs. Bertha Schuller, also of Montreal.
After a long career of Zionist and Hebraist activities, Brainin visited Russia 13 years ago and became interested in the Soviet agricultural colonization of Jews. This interest brought him into controversy in recent years with erstwhile Zionist associates. At the time of his death he was engaged in preparing his “Collected Works,” three volumes of which have already appeared, and also contributed articles to The Day.
Born in Ladi, Russia, on March 15, 1862, Brainin received a traditional Jewish education and also academic training in the Universities of Vienna and Berlin. While still a student in Moscow he founded the first Zionist student club and shortly afterward established the Zionist Political Group, the first Jewish body to appeal for political action to restore Palestine to the Jews. At 23 he was named editor of Hamelitz, a Hebrew daily in St. Petersburg.
In 1892, Brainin went to Vienna, where he aided Dr. Theodor Herzl in organizing the first World Zionist Congress in 1897, to which he was a delegate. He was active in these years in lecturing throughout Europe in behalf of Zionism.
He was credited with having introduced European literary standards into Hebrew writing. He discovered and encouraged many who subsequently became leading Hebrew writers. In Berlin, he established a society for reviving Hebrew as a conversational language, and also edited Hebrew publications in Berlin and Warsaw.
Coming to the United States in 1910, Brainin led the Hebrew revival here and founded the Histadruth Ivrith, Hebrew cultural organization. Between 1912 and 1917 he was editor of the Canadian Jewish Eagle in Montreal and of several monthly and weekly publications. Returning to the United States in 1917, he served as editor of the Hebrew publication, Hatoren, and was for many years honorary vice-president of the Zionist Organization of America. Visiting Palestine at the age of 64, he was given an enthusiastic reception.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
