ABSTRACT
On 20 May 1876 ten men convened by Aaron Liebermann established the first Jewish socialist party in the world. 'The Jewish workers in London will be a role model to all other Jewish workers. The HSU and the new trade union met with heavy resistance among the members of the Anglo-Jewry, who sent delegates to disrupt gatherings and badmouthed the socialists in The Jewish Chronicle. Both the public and the internal Hebrew Socialist Union (HSU) meetings and the activities of the trade union catered specifically to Jewish workers. Still, collaboration with non-Jews was welcomed. Most members understood that the HSU focused on Jewish workers and was therefore a Jewish organization. After the public meeting and the establishment of the trade union, the HSU lapsed into a crisis. The trade union members were disgruntled at Liebermann's new political involvement. The further significance of the organization's Jewish identity remained subject to disagreement within the ranks, as various issues made clear.
