The organization was initially founded as a Zionist association in 1893 and called the Maccabi Association. In 1896 the name was changed to the Verein der jüdischen Hochschüler in Prag (Association of Jewish Academics in Prague) and the statutes were changed to no longer identify as exclusively Zionist. In 1899 the name was once more altered to Bar Kochba, with the longer name kept as a subtitle; the statutes now embraced cultural Zionism and the leadership was primarily German-speaking. In 1904 some members founded Barissia, which in contrast championed political Zionism (folder 20 contains newsletters to former Barissia members). Finally, in 1909 another association of Zionist academics was founded, the Theodor Herzl Association of Czech-Speaking Jews. The newsletters in this collection were addressed to and written by members or former members of all these associations, who maintained close contact throughout their lives. For a fuller history of the organization, see the article in the YIVO Encyclopedia .
From the guide to the Bar Kochba-Theodor Herzl Prague Academic Association Collection, 1931-1977, (Leo Baeck Institute Archives)
