effect, we would advocate for these. The aim is to have men of our race —will the Jewish anthropologists permit me to use that word? —to have men of our race remain themselves. And we know that you can cure a Jewish heart only with a Jewish heartache. To make Jews is the idea —for that is about all we can be. I confess we are not very versatile. We can only be Jews —alas! poor Frenchmen, etc., of the Mosaic persuasion — but we can be mighty good ones if we try.
“There is hope for this man, so let us make room for him. Perhaps we can win him over to the Jewish mission and then he will square accounts with God and with Israel.”
“Mission? Jews? It was a slip of the tongue,” explained Keidansky. “Beg your pardon! I mean to say that perhaps we can yet get the Yom Kippur Jew to be a real Jew. Would not that be enough?”
WOMAN’S WORK IN PALESTINE
A MODERN writer on Canadian colonization says that every potential colonist should put to himself a twofold test question; first as to his own fitness to settle in a distant country as a pioneer; and second (which is of far greater significance), whether his wife is willing to accompany him. If she be favorably inclined to do so, he may safely undertake it; if, however, she be opposed to it, he must let the matter rest, for he will not succeed. This dictum was repeated to me by the administrator of a Galilean colony. We, however, talked of Palestine. And just here it was everywhere evident that agriculture could not be successful without the cheerful and willing co-operation of the Jewish woman. Many settlers had been compelled to return to their former homes because of their wives' uncompromising attitude. It is true that the woman finds the conditions of the new life pressing the more heavily upon her. By nature, she is more conservative than the man, and is more attached to her old surroundings and friends. The man finds his bearings much sooner in his new surroundings, for he has left his home because of an enthralling and inspiring ideal which sustains him in his difficulties. It is seldom that the woman shares his inspiration, or understands his thoughts; and she actually stands aloof until it is translated into deeds. Then she labors under the difficulties of adjusting herself to
new surroundings, to meeting unaccustomed demands. The new climate which brings disease in its train, the different forms of nourishment, the lack of water, all increase these difficulties, quite apart from the new work in house and field. Few of those coming here know anything of the management of a rural household; and here it is suddenly demanded of them. The retort can be made— the same applies to the men. That is true, but the women bring with them the view that hard manual labor is degrading, that for a Jewish woman to milk cows, to care for a poultry-yard, to till a garden—the very idea is revolutionary and revolting to her. And yet, just this form of labor is suddenly put to her hand. As a matter of fact, she often refuses to accept it. Here and there in the colonies one hears of Jews who set the Arabs to work in their own stead; but these complaints are only occasional. As to the women, one hears bitter criticisms always and everywhere, that they will not accustom themselves to their duties. In Rosh Pinah, for instance, a vegetable garden is pointed out with great pride as being entirely cared for by the wife and daughters of the proprietor. It is significant that such an instance should be singled out. This much admits of no dispute, that certain branches of the work must be the especial care of the woman, and that the success of the entire experiment is greatly de-