The Communist Party set out to provide a framework for both French and immigrant workers. In 1926, to defend the interests of foreign workers, it set up the M.O.E. (Main-d’œuvre Étrangère), a “sector of activity” dedicated to immigrants of various origins. This structure became the Main-d’œuvre Immigrée (M.O.I.) in 1932, and language groups were set up to help integrate workers who still spoke little French.
Many of these immigrant Jews, enthusiastic about the Russian Revolution, felt close to the communist ideas defended by the leaders of the Jewish (Yiddish-speaking) section of the M.O.I.
The reference to communism must, of course, be placed in its historical context. At the time, communism was unquestionably seen by these Jewish immigrants as an ideal of social revolution, freedom, peace and universal brotherhood, making any form of anti-Semitism impossible.
Jewish associations under the auspices of the M.O.I. are very active. The structured network of associations covers all fields: dispensaries, social action, political information, sports activities, women’s movement, youth movement, patronages, writers’ “section”, popular choir and theater.
Yiddish-speaking communists and sympathizers have a daily press in Yiddish, La Naïe Presse(La Presse Nouvelle), which published its first issue in January 1934. The paper was widely distributed among pre-war Jewish immigrants. One of its main aims was to combat fascism.
