Not only during the Babylonian captivity was Jerusalem dear to the memory of the Jew, but throughout the long present exile has he never for a moment forgotten the psalmist's vow, "If I forget thee, Jerusalem
may my right hand forget its cunning, may my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth if I remember thee not, if I recall not thee, Jerusalem, at the head of my joy."
THE NATIVE JEWS OF PALESTINE
THE native Jews of Palestine belong to the Sphardic sect, which is divided into several communities, hailing from Yemen, Bokhara, Hundistan and Morocco. The majority have been in Palestine for three or four generations, and the chief towns of their settlement are Jerusalem, Hebron, Haifa, Tiberias and Safed, to which they had been attracted by sacred memories and by the tombs of Tanaim and Kabbalists.
The most cultured and enlightened are the Sephardim of the Levant, viz.: Constantinople, Salonica and Smyrna; the darkest and most superstitious the Moroccan Jews and the Yemenites.
Spanish Jargon is the speech of the former, a language preferred by them above the Hebrew, and Arabic and Hebrew about the latter. Between the Spanish and Arabic communities, there exists a general dislike, though they possess common rites and customs.
Both communities have been blended by superstitions, owing to the influence of the Kabbala, and the superstitious neighbors among whom they have lived for centuries.
During the week preceding the circum-. cision, the father of the child generally invites to his house two or three of his relations to study through the night chapters ofthe Zohar. A woman is also engaged to attend to the confined woman and to guard the child from the evil eye.
On the Sabbath before the Berith the father of the infant, attended by his friends, goes to the synagogue. When he is called
*I am indebted for much of this information to that eminent Pelestinian authority, Moses Luncz, of Jerusalem.
up to the reading of the Law the Schammas hands the reader some rosewater in a glass tube to say the blessing for fragrance. The rosewater is then returned to the Schammas who walks round and sprinkles some of this water on the hands .and faces of all the congregants. Before the Baal Kore reads the Parshah, the reader and the congregation intone a hymn beginning with the words “Let there be peace in Israel,” Semon Tov and Mazal Tov being repeated over and over again, in the manner of an Arabian chorus.
It is the custom for all relatives and friends of the Baal Berith to bring with them a bottle of wine and cakes, as a sign that they are to participate in the rejoicing. They will, however, taste nothing but rub their hands and faces with rosewater before leaving the house.
The night preceding the Berith the Sandik brings with him an oil candlestick engraved with floral ornamentations. His coming is announced by the Oriental drum which accompanies him through the streets. This drum is the favorite musical instrument of the native population and is used both by Jews and Moslems in every festivity.
The father of the child then lights the candlestick and all sit down to read the Zohar. Among the Mongrabrin, it is the custom, after the reading of the lesson, to have a saucer filled with waxen tapers placed before the gathering, and each one handling a taper dances round and round with the saucer in honor of the Mitzvah. The extinguished candles are carefully secured and lighted for the Havdalah the following Sabbath night. The friends then