ceived Christianity to civilize it and pre-rew state not a political abstraction, but pare it for still greater advances. But a "Social Commonwealth in Zion", to since the Jew has been torn from his soil, serve as a model for the nations. his spiritual growth has been curtailed; You recall the cities of the Old Testa- he has been denied the full expression of ment, where the criminal, free from the his genius. And the Land of Israel seems taint of wilful wrong, might flee for safe- to be linked in a common destiny with the ty. We hope to build a nobler city of Children of Israel. Let but her sons and refuge, a home not for the criminal but daughters return, and you will behold the for the genius of our people—not to exist "Holy Land" once more as the Mother- as prisoners until the death of the High land of those eternal principles of mor- Priest, but to live the life of super-men ality and religion, making the final Heb- in a Social Commonwealth of Israel.
serve as a model for the nations. You recall the cities of the Old Testament, where the criminal, free from the taint of wilful wrong, might flee for safety. We hope to build a nobler city of refuge, a home not for the criminal but for the genius of our people—not to exist as prisoners until the death of the High Priest, but to live the life of super-men in a Social Commonwealth of Israel.
The Maccabaean Anniversary
FOR the past years THE MACCABAEAN in America. There have been other has been one of the voices of Zionism voices, speaking voices, but the music of their eloquence has inspired their audiences, and there have been no visible records kept. The leaves of the record of THE MaccaBAEAN are bound together, and you may take it home with you to read at your leisure. The first years of Zionism were years of education, for the very vocabulary of the movement had to be taught to our people. They had to harangued, and bullied, and worried into giving thought to the problems of Jewish national life. The Zionists had to go forth among the people and speak to them. The founders of THe MAccaBAEAN projected the magazine as the spoken word’s re-enforcement, to clinch the impression made by our speakers, to make Zionism of value not only while under the influence of enthusiastic crowds, but also in the quiet of one’s home. Whatever the merits or demerits of our magazine, therefore, we have good reason for rejoicing that in this work we have been able to maintain an organ for ten years, that has addressed itself from month to month to that element among us which reads English.
Our organization here suffered at the start and for many years from a leadership recruited from among English-speaking Zionists, that was called upon to lead a constituency for the most part of Yid-
dish-speaking Zionists. Every word of advice or exhortation or command had to be translated and interpreted, and as a rule, was misunderstood. And because of the imperfect methods of communication, it may have been that the word of advice or exhortation or command, without the authority of direct discourse and personal conviction, was vague and indefinite.
But, strange to say, when these leaders thought of an organ to express Zionist opinion, they did not establish a Yiddish periodical that could reach the Jewish masses: they brought to life THE MACCABAEAN.
For years THE MACCABAEAN has been fumbling about for a foothold. Mr. de Haas did some of it. I have contributed my share of the fumbling, and now Mr. Richards also contributes. THe MaccaBAEAN has been regarded by the rank and file as a superfluity, and was tolerated because they were not compelled to assist it. And the English-reading Zionists were not numerous enough in our early years, or were too young, to appreciate it or to give it adequate support. But in spite of its anomolous position, and inception, THE MACCABAEAN has been issued for ten years, on time less often than not on time, fluctuating in the strength of its contents, suffering, as many believe. from the deficiencies of its editors and business managers, but in the long run amassing a wealth of printed material that should