Elections poster for Russian Jewry Convention ("alruslandishn yidishn tzusamnfar"). M. Pivovarski printing press. Petrograd, [1917]. Yiddish.
The February 1917 Revolution, after which civil limitations imposed on Russian Jews were cancelled, aroused hope amongst Jews and some Jewish parties were set up and aimed at achieving national autonomy. Even though each party defined "autonomy" differently, many felt the need to found an umbrella organization for all of Russian Jews. In 1917 elections for "Russian Jewry Convention" were declared. This convention was meant to form the umbrella organization. The elections were conducted but the convention did not take place since, following the Bolshevik Revolution in October of the same year, the attitude of the Russian regime towards the Jews degraded.
The poster presented calls for electing the "Zionist List No. 6", in the elections for "Russian Jewry Convention". The illustration depicts an Eretz-Israeli landscape; a woman, in the center, dressed in a biblical garment gathering stalks of grain (probably inspired by Ruth the Moabitess). On the left side appears and inscription in Yiddish: "To all believers in the revival of the land through Jewish Labor".
Another poster, in an additional version, was printed in the same year, in which the text is somewhat different from the one which appears on the poster presented here.
44X56 cm. Framed 58X70 cm. Good condition. Creases and folding marks. Not examined out of frame.