Ettingen Lazar (Eliezer) (1870, Velizh, Vitebsk Governorate — 1956, Tel Aviv) — civic and Zionist figure. Studied at the University of Bern, where together with the future noted Yiddishist publicist Khaim Zhitlovsky he founded in 1896 a world Jewish student organisation; then in Zurich, where he studied chemistry and philosophy. In 1897, for lack of funds, returned to Riga. His entire life was connected with the Zionist movement from its very inception. He was a delegate to all Zionist congresses except the first. In 1898, was a delegate to the congress of Russian Zionists in Warsaw. At the 18th Congress in Prague (1933) was elected to the Executive Committee. E. stood at the origins of the Zionist movement in Latvia, was one of the initiators of the creation of the first Zionist organisation in Riga “Tzion” and a member of its board. Actively collaborated with the Society for the Promotion of Education in Latvia. E. was treasurer of the Society from 1904 until his departure for Eretz Israel. In 1915, during the First World War, E. worked on the committee for assistance to Jewish refugees from Courland. Together with Z. Tron, participated in the initial stage of the “Olim” society in 1935, and was a member of its board. For 35 years E. worked in Riga in responsible positions at the representative office of the “Shell” joint-stock company in the Baltic countries, heading it in his final years there. The newspaper “Segodnya” reported on 28 April 1935 on E.'s retirement. After arriving in Eretz Israel in 1935, E. devoted himself entirely to civic activities. He continued to collaborate actively in the Zionist organisation; was a member of the CC of the World General Zionist Party; was always a faithful supporter of Chaim Weizmann, as E. himself was a chemist and the first president of the State of Israel. In 1940, in Jerusalem, E.'s 70th birthday was solemnly celebrated. Modest and sparing of words, he was able to work productively and was tolerant of differing opinions, which earned him the respect of representatives of different trends in Zionism. From 1942 until his death, headed the Association of Immigrants from Latvia and Estonia. The main goal of this association in its early years was to help Baltic Jews exiled to Siberia who had survived the Holocaust. Parcels were assembled for them at E.'s apartment in Tel Aviv. E. wrote “Memoirs,” most of which are devoted to the beginning and development of the Zionist movement in Latvia. E.'s “Memoirs” are published in the Memorial Book “Yahadut Latvia” (“Jewry of Latvia”), Tel Aviv, 1953, pp. 197–208.

Lit.: Bobe M. The Jews in Latvia. Tel-Aviv, 1971. Pp. 252–254; Ben-Yehudi, Ettingen is 70 “Ha-Oved Ha-Tzioni,” 1940, September, pp. 3–4; Kol M. People and Events. Eliezer Ettingen “Ha-Oved Ha-Tzioni,” 1956, September, p. 27; Waldman B. Jews of Latvia on the Way to and in Eretz Israel Jews in a Changing World, 6, Riga.