The original stencil edition of the renowned book by Dora Schwartz, a pioneer of vegetarianism in the Land of ...

The original stencil edition of the renowned book by Dora Schwartz, a pioneer of vegetarianism in the Land of Israel. Haifa, circa 1930s

Anweisungen und Rezepte zur Herstellung Gesunder Nahrung – Booklet titled "Instructions and Recipes for the Preparation of Healthy Food" by Dora Schwartz, printed by Gestetner, 34 Nordau Street, Haifa, 1930s. The original stencil edition of her renowned work Instructions for Wholesome Nutrition (translated into Hebrew in 1945). Extremely rare. In German.

The original stencil edition of the renowned book by Dora Schwartz, a pioneer of vegetarianism in the Land of Israel, in the original language - German. In the introduction, Schwartz writes: “Here in our old-new homeland, the Land of Israel, where every single person is a precious national asset, we housewives- who are responsible for the physical well-being of our families or those in our care, must take the question of nutrition very seriously and devote attention to it.” This book, one of the earliest of its kind to be printed in the Land of Israel, includes countless recipes for preparing plant-based natural foods, along with preparation methods and extensive health advice. Among the contents are examples of fruit and vegetable juice blends, recipes for a wide variety of salads, natural-based soups, detailed explanations of the benefits of plant-based nutrition for the human body, instructions for making cheeses, and recommended daily meal plans for all three meals of the day, adjusted for both summer and winter seasons, and more. On the final page, Schwartz notes: “For all types of diets… not detailed here, it is necessary to consult a doctor who, in principle, accepts this nutritional theory…”.

Dora Schwartz [1894–1982], one of the pioneers of vegetarianism in the Land of Israel and a founding figure in the field of vegetarian diets in the country.

Born in Innsbruck, Austria, she married Walter Schwartz at the age of 16 and was the mother of three sons. After the Nazis rose to power, she immigrated to the Land of Israel in 1933 with her youngest son, following her two older sons who were already living in Binyamina. Even in Austria, following personal health issues, she became involved in vegetarianism, studied natural healing at the sanatorium of Dr. Bircher-Benner in Zurich, and was active in the Zionist youth movement. In the Land of Israel, she founded the Dora Schwartz Health Retreat in Zikhron Ya’akov, the first vegetarian center of its kind in the country, located in the Långa estate. The retreat became a pilgrimage site for intellectuals, statesmen, artists, and health enthusiasts, offering its guests strict vegetarian nutrition, a healthy lifestyle, physical activity, and personal consultation with Schwartz herself. She ran the center with a firm hand for about thirty years, campaigning against smoking, promoting the use of medicinal herbs, and educating the public on natural nutrition.

During the War of Independence, the retreat was temporarily converted into a hospital for tuberculosis patients, and it took years for ownership to return to her. In 1962, Schwartz retired and handed over the management to her son Hugo. However, following her departure, the retreat's activity declined sharply until it closed its doors and was sold in 1969 to a German Christian woman named Emma Berger—a transaction that sparked a public outcry. Her ideas, considered radical in her time, gained broader recognition only many years later.

Extremely rare. Not listed in the WorldCat global library catalog.

94 leaves. 21 × 16 cm. Stains on the cover and on some pages. Good condition.