Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities - Department of East Asian Studies

Tel-Hai College Upper Galilee 1220800, Israel Tel: 972-4-8181970

Tel-Hai College
Faculty of Social Science and Humanities
Department of East Asian Studies

Call for Papers
International Conference Commemorating 110 Years since the Release of
Joseph Trumpeldor from Captivity in Japan
From Port Arthur to Tel-Hai: Joseph Trumpeldor and Japan
May 26-27, 2015
Languages: Hebrew and English
Joseph Trumpeldor served as a soldier in the Russio-Japanese war (1904-1905), was
captured at Port-Arthur and imprisoned in Japan. Upon the conclusion of the war he
returned to Russia, and later immigrated to Palestine where he became an important
Zionist figure. Till this day his image and heritage are widely known in Israel. Yet, the
influence of the Russo-Japanese war and the period of Trumpeldor's imprisonment in
Japan on his personality, life, and world-view have not yet been thoroughly and widely
studied. Taking place some 110 years after the end of the war and his release from
prisoner camp, this conference aims to examine the life, images, and heritage of Joseph
Trumpledor, within the context of his detention in Japan. The conference will explore
Trumpeldor's military record and Zionist activity during the war and the impact of this
period on his later years, his character and ideology, as well as his legacy and myth.
We invite researchers to submit proposals for papers in the following topics:
The War Period and the Beginning of the 20
th
Century:
The Russo-Japanese war in historical perspective Japan and the Jews at the beginning
of the 20
th
century Russian Jewry on the eve of and during the war World Jewry
and the war Support of Japan by the Jewish world during the war Japan and the
Middle East at the beginning of the 20
th
century
Trumpeldor's Image and Ideology:
Background: community, family, education Trumpeldor's world-view: Russian
patriotism compared with Zionism His image as pacifist and as soldier and warrior
Trumpeldor the journalist Trumpeldor's private life His image stemming from his
letters and writings Trumpeldor the Zionist, idealist, ideologist His socialist-
communal thought Development of Trumpeldor's socialist ideas during captivity


Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities - Department of East Asian Studies
Tel-Hai College Upper Galilee 1220800, Israel Tel: 972-4-8181970
Trumpeldor during the Japanese Captivity:
Japan's attitude to the Russian prisoners Jewish-Zionist activities in the prisoners'
camp in Hamadera Jewish prisoners of war Influence of the captivity on
Trumpeldor's thought after the war Trumpeldor's sources of strength
Trumpeldor after Captivity: Palestine and Tel-Hai:
Back in Russia after the Japanese captivity The following years and activity till the
battle of Tel-Hai The Arab attack on Tel-Hai Battle of Tel-Hai in historical perspective
Trumpeldor's Heritage and Myth:
Trumpeldor's myth in Palestine and in the State of Israel Beitar and the myth of
Trumpeldor Trumpeldor as a Jewish Samurai?


Proposals should be submitted by e-mail to Dr. Roni Sarig (trumpeldor.th@gmail.com)
before October 18, 2014. The decisions of the selection committee will be announced
by November 30, 2014. Proposals should include a title in English or Hebrew and a short
abstract of 200-250 words in English or Hebrew, as well as the author's name, academic
qualification, institutional affiliation, address, telephone number, and e-mail address.
Language of presentation (Hebrew or English) should also be mentioned.
The organizers intend to publish selected papers in edited volume.
Advisory Committee:
Prof. Ben-Ami Shillony, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Prof. Rotem Kowner, University of Haifa
Dr. Nissim Otmazgin, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Organizing Committee:
Prof. Haim Goren, Tel-Hai College
Dr. Gad C. Isay, Tel-Hai College
Dr. Sophia Katz, Tel-Hai College
Dr. Roni Sarig (convener), Tel-Hai College

The conference is conducted in cooperation
with the Israeli Association for Japanese Studies.