The Maccabaean

(Mikvei Yisrael)

“One may win his world in one _ hour, another, after struggling many years,” (Aboda Zara 18 A). The “Alliance Israelite Universelle” gets the credit of being the first in modern times to advance prac- wal measures to influence colonization of Jews in Palestine. The establishment of the Agricultural School “Mikvei Yisrael” (the hope of Israel) by that organization was the first practical effort in modern times on behalf of the Jewish people to rehabilitate their historic land. That Farm Schoo] is situated south-east of Jaffa, half an hour distant from the town, on the road leading to Jerusalem. It is the first settlement in line with the Jewish Col- omes in Judea, and when, on the thirteenth dav of June, we started out on a tour to the Colonies, ‘“‘Mikvei Yisrael” was the first stop we made.

On both sides of the road leading to the school, orange groves, vineyards, farm helds, and large patches of wild flowers of most magnificent hue were in sight. The school grounds are recognized from a distance by long rows of eucalyptus trees “Sadjar el Yahud” (the Jewish trees) as styled by the Arabs, because the Jews were the first to introduce this tree in Palestine. While a number of Jewish youths working in the fields convinced us that we were on real Jewish soil, the one that gave us the Hebrew greeting “Shalom” (peace be with thee) while ploughing along the road. made us feel that we are in a Hebrew land as well.

general condition of the land. Mr. Laupu is a middle aged man of Western European culture, and is said to possess a vast knowledge of the science of agriculture. He conversed with us in Hebrew.

In its general aspects, the Mikvei Yisrael Settlement resembles some of the Colonies in Judea, and consists of a wide thoroughfare at each side and, scattered within a radius of about half a mile, are twenty structures of various kinds. The buildings here, as all over Palestine, are made of stone, with as little wood as possible, for timber is very scarce in Palestine. Most of the wood used for building purposes is brought by way of the Mediterranean from European countries and the expense of transportation makes the price of lumber so high that the average builder is obliged to dispense with it as far as possible. Stone, on the other hand, can be gotten at little cost, and stone cutters at a very moderate rate; consequently stone is used in houses for floors, stone arches for roofs, upstairs rooms, verandas, etc. In the Mikvei Yisrael Settlement, as well as in the other Jewish Colonies, however, the use of timber is not restricted to such a large extent. The roofs on the houses are mostly of red tiles. The red color gives a beautiful contrast to the white walls and green surroundings.

The school building proper, which is used also as the general office as well as a residence for the director and his family, is a magnificent and extensive edifice, well adapted and equipped for school and general office purposes. Other buildings include a synagogue, library, chemical and horticultural laboratories, quarters for instructors, dormitories for students, dwellings for employees, workshops, barns, sheds, and a large wine cellar. The buildings are thickly shaded by avenues of