At first glance, Villa Devachan in San Remo, Italy, looks like an unusual choice for statesmanship. It is a modest castle, built of local Italian quarry, whose design combines the English Art Nouveau and Neo-Gothic styles.
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Its name – Devachan – comes from a Tibetan term for a state of consciousness in which the mind is separated from the body. There used to be a park around the building decorated with statues of Asian idols and lions.
It is there that the Allied Powers gathered after World War I to hold a debate – several of them – to remap the Middle East. And it is there, at the San Remo conference of 1920, that Zionist history took place: the representatives affirmed the Jewish people's right to re-establish their homeland in the land of Israel and made it part of international law.
Zionist leaders were not present at the conference with prime ministers from Britain, France and Italy, and ambassadors from the United States and Japan. But their spirit was evident from the conference transcripts. In a reasoned and restrained discourse, both in English and French, the representatives clarified how powerful the Zionist argument was – both ancient and contemporary. And the question of whether the leaders' words stemmed from uplifting Christian sympathy or cold political considerations is undoubtedly a secondary one.
The San Remo conference took place on the Italian Rivera 101 years ago and shaped the fate of the then-desolate land of Israel. That same unusual mix of contrasting elements reflects the unique character of the Zionist enterprise. In the long scroll of Jewish longing, Jewish hope, Jewish revival, and Jewish defense, there is prose – no less than poetry, there is secularity – no less sacredness, and pragmatism – no less than heroism.
The prayer for a miracle from heaven was supported by the daily work of these officials. Much ink has been poured into the biblical promise to Israel, as well as the many negotiations concerning the founding of the modern Jewish state. And as Jewish fighters defeated enemies and created borders through short and brilliant war systems, its representatives invested decades of quiet effort to gain international recognition for those borders.
It took 28 more years of struggle following the San Remo conference for the Jewish state to be established. The same Britain, which took it upon itself to establish a national home for the Jews, ended up battling the settlement efforts until it could no longer.
Without a doubt, the San Remo conference marked a new chapter in the epic story of Zionism. More than 4,000 years ago, God promised Abraham the inheritance of the Land of Israel, which 101 years ago the San Remo conference helped fulfill.
In 2020, we were supposed to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the conference, which, unfortunately, the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic halted.
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A year later, now that Israel – in a typical demonstration of Zionist daring and resourcefulness – has managed to overcome the crisis, we can now give the San Remo conference the attention it deserves. It is a decision that has withstood the test of time and has changed the lives of millions of Jews all over the world.
May we merit to learn, enjoy, appreciate and love the heart of our return to the land, a Jewish state in the land of Israel.
The Adelson family owns the company that is the primary shareholder in Israel Hayom. Dr. Miriam Adelson is the publisher of Israel Hayom.
