Political cartoon juxtaposing Judah Maccabee with President William Howard Taft

Worthy Descendants of the Maccabees

One of the earliest campaigns of the American Jewish Congress (AJC) was for the nullification of the 1832 treaty with Russia. Contrary to treaty obligations, which required all American citizens to be treated equally, the Tsarist government actively discriminated against American Jews. Convincing Congress and President Taft to nullify the treaty was one of the AJC's earliest successes. This political cartoon juxtaposes an image of Judah Maccabee - the hero of the Jewish festival of Hanukkah - with President Taft, smiting a Russian figure. Many East European Jews used the epithet Greek to refer to Russians in general, which likely explains the Hebrew reference to 'evil Greeks' on the shield and parchment held by the fallen figures.