The California Achooza
The organization and success of the Los Angeles Achooza shows what could be achieved in the formation of Achoozas in the cities of the United States, where there is a Jewish population of an appreciable size.
Los Angeles is the metropolis of Southern California. It is situated on the shore of the Pacific Ocean, and remote from the great Eastern cities with their teeming Jewish population. Most of the local Jews did not come directly here from across the Atlantic. Having fled from countries of persecution in Europe, they crossed the Atlantic, landed in some Eastern city. After assimilating the new life there, they cast their eyes westward.
Coming to California they had again to adjust themselves to new conditions. It would seem they had ample time to forget about Zion; and whatever hopes dwelled in their hearts for the rejuvenation of our nation in Palestine, must have given way long before this either to the desire for material progress or prosaic everyday struggle for existence. Nevertheless our ideals did not leave us.
We Zionists, having been compelled to leave our native countries on account of persecution, would certainly have gone to Palestine at once, but ahead of us loomed big obstacles. We were told that Palestine is an undeveloped country with no industries and with an autocratic government. It was the few strong and unattached among us who could go. We went to every country but Palestine, we learned another language, another literature; and to use the biblical expression, we guarded strange vineyards but neglected our own. Our national ideals and our every day life seem to be at variance; chaos seems to prevail in our life. That chaos is only superficial. For deep down in our hearts burns the hope for our national rejuvenation.
Since a new order of things has taken place in Palestine, since the work of colonization there has become less difficult, since the work of our heroic vanguard has commenced to bear fruit, and there has
commenced to bloom a new Jewish life in Palestine, the old smouldering hope has revived.
The Zionists, of Southern California are better able to appreciate the value of Palestine than can our brethern in the Eastern cities of the United States. Here nature neither frowns nor looks askance at men. We enjoy an endless summer here. In the winter months, which bring cold and blizzard to the East,we see now and then silvery clouds bringing forth the rains, and hills and vales remaining clad with verdure. We are encouraged when we consider that Palestine has the same climate as Southern California. Thinking of Palestine of more than two thousand years ago, we can understand the nature of our great prophets better, and behold the green hills and valleys, century old trees by the quiet waters by which Isaiah prophecied.
We have also watched modern Palestine, and the development of a new Hebrew literature there. We have heard the new songs and have learned of the new and sturdy Hebrew generation.
The ground was ready then for the organization of an Achooza in Los Angeles. All we needed was a few enthusiasts to take the initiative, and the Los Angeles Achooza was formed.
Resources
The first meeting was held in the month of Febuary, 1913. The organization of an Achooza was agreed upon under the name of The Los Angeles Palestine L. and D. Co. It was agreed to increase the membership established. They took into consideration the distance of Los Angeles form the Eastern States, where Jewlsh life is at a comparatively higher level, and the small size of the Jewish community here. It was also decided to incorporate with a capitalization of $49,500, divided into thirty-three shares of $1,500. each, payable in forty installments during a period of ten years i e. four installments a year of $37.50, each. At the present time all of the thirty-three shares are sold. We still get more appli-