Born in the Libyan city of Benghazi, Renato Tesciuba (1894–1976) founded the Herzl Association in 1919 and became its first president. He resigned in 1921, dismayed by the poor membership turnout for an election, but continued thereafter to be affiliated with the association as its honorary president. In 1926, Tesciuba became a member of the Community Council of Benghazi, then headed by Elia Fargion. He was elected vice-president of the council in 1929 and was put in charge of its charity portfolio. When Fargion resigned in 1935 because the Italian …