The Maccabaean

The Palestine Commission, having inquired of the directors of the Hebrew Gymnasium at Jaffa concerning certain widely circulated rumors, has received the following report:

"Replying to your favor of February 10, we beg to thank you for your friendly attitude and for your willingness to stimulate interest in the Hebrew Gymnasium in Western Europe. The rumors regarding irreligious tendencies on the part of our teachers are obviously woven out of thin air. Your supposition that the Gymnasium in no wise affords occasion for the wounding of the religious sensibilities of the Palestinian Jews, is correct in every respect. As a matter of fact, our relations with Palestinian Jewry are of the most cordial nature. Up to the present time, we have not had the slightest occasion to complain of opposition of any kind from the Palestinian Jews, nor even of passive disapproval. The above statement might be corroborated by a large array of facts, from which we present the following:

"First and foremost, the constantly increasing number of our pupils proves that we have the confidence of the local Jews. As you are aware, only fourteen pupils had been enrolled when the Gymnasium was opened. There are now about ninety pupils in the institution. We have had occasion, only recently, to note a touching instance of attachment to our school. A resident of Jaffa, whose three children attend the Gymnasium, advised a relative living in South Africa to send his two boys to Jaffa in order that they might attend the Gymnasium. It is obvious that the confidence reposed in our institution is indeed great when a father may be induced to withdraw his children from an English

school and send them on so long a journey to our Gymnasium. The following incident is perhaps not less interesting. A well-to-do, orthodox Jew of Lodz, Russia, made a provision in his will for the education of his son at the Jaffa Hebrew Gymnasium. His desire was fulfilled, and the orthodox relatives of the boy, who accompanied him hither and looked into matters on their own account, expressed their warm gratitude for his admission to our school. Among our other pupils are also to be found sons of orthodox rabbis, Chachams, etc.

"It should also be remembered in this connection, that the Gymnasium is the only Jewish school in Jaffa, having an annual income of about 10,000 fr. from school fees—a circumstance which is most significant, as the local Jews have been regularly used to receive instruction for their children either gratis, or for very small fees. Were we to reduce the school fees appreciably, we should not be able to provide accomodation for the great influx of pupils.

'As an evidence of the esteem with which our teachers are regarded by the local population, we may cite the fact that nearly all of them are constantly invited, in accordance with a traditional custom faithfully observed by local Sephardim, to address devoutly attentive audiences every Saturday in the synagogue. It is apparent that this would never happen, were our teachers to display any irreligious tendencies.

"It is significant that the most conservative of all the colonies, Petach Tikwah, is most desirous of having the Gymnasium removed to its district. This, too, were inconceivable if our conduct caused any dissension or otherwise wounded the feelings of the local Jews.

"In conclusion, a fact that deserves es-