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The Jewish People's League in Mexico (Yiddish: אידישע פאָלקס ליגע אין מעקסיקא, Idishe Folks-Ligue in Meksike, popularly known as Folks-Ligue, Spanish: Liga Popular Israelita de México) was a communist Jewish organization in Mexico.[1] The organization was founded by members of Gezbir in 1942, in response to the German invasion of the Soviet Union.[2][3] Initially the name of the organization was Jewish League to Help the Soviet Union (Yiddish: אידישע ליגע פארן סאוועטן פארבאנד, Idishe Ligue farn Sovetn Farband, Spanish: Liga Israelita pro Ayuda a la Unión Soviética, abbreviated LIPAUS).[2][4] It was commonly known as Di Ligue in the Jewish community.[5][6] The organization had good relationship with the Jewish Central Committee of Mexico, as several members of Di Ligue were also part of the Central Committee.[7] Di Ligue organized bazaars for fundraising to support Soviet orphans and families affected by the war.[4] Di Ligue published the newspaper Fraivelt ('Free World').[5]
In January 1945 the name was changed to Idishe Folks-Ligue, a move that indicated the organization would be open to Jews of different political tendencies.[3][6] At the time the communists sought to broaden their base in the struggle against fascism. Mordkhe Korona, a Zionist, was the chairman of the organization during this period.[3] The Fraivelt editor Boris Rosen represented Folks-Ligue in the Jewish Central Committee.[5]
Representatives of the Jewish Central Committee, World Jewish Congress, Nidkhei Israel Congregation, the United Zionist Organization and Histadrut participated in the inaugural ceremony of Folks-Ligue at its new office on Paseo de la Reforma 503 on January 21, 1945.[3] The Soviet ambassador Konstantin Umansky held a speech at the meeting (his last public speech before his death).[3] Portraits of Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Joseph Stalin and Mexican president Manuel Ávila Camacho decorated the meeting hall. During this period three flags were displayed at Folks-Ligue meetings; the Mexican, Soviet and Zionist, and the Hatikva was played alongside Mexican and Soviet national anthems at ceremonies of the movement.[3]
Artist Fanny Rabel had her first exhibition at the Folks-Ligue office in 1945. Frida Kahlo wrote the presentation for the exhibition of twenty four oils, thirteen drawings and eight engravings.[8][9]
After the end of the Second World War, the influence of Folks-Ligue declined sharply as European Jewish refugees began leaving Mexico.[3] The organization pulled out of the Jewish Central Committee, in response to Zionist hegemony in that body.[2] As of the 1950s the office of Folks-Ligue was located at Pino Suarez, 27.[10]
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