fested as in the home of the editors of "The Zionist," Pleasantly situated amidst historic buildings and fine spacious green courts their rooms are the center of much of the Zionist activity in England. Their table is invariably surrounded not only by the Zionists of London, but the Zionists of the provinces also make it their center when in London. The leaders of the Movement make their headquarters there when they come on political work or for propaganda purposes. But the Achad Ha-amist interprets his Zionsim so as to include all Jewish literature within its province. With Dr. Shechter they say "Quod Hebraicae est non me alienum puto," I do not regard anything Jewish as foreign to me. One therefore is not surprised to find out at the table one man who is engaged in writing a Jewish Encyclopedia and another who is working at a philosophy of Jewish History. In the person of Achad Ha-am a frequent visitor at their rooms in The Temple both activities the Zionistic and the Hebraic, if one dare make the distinction, find their most perfect harmony.
A Friday evening in their rooms is especially pleasant. The candle lights, the Palestinian wine, the blessed comfort of the room, (It has been argued that the greatest blessing bestowed by Cambridge and Oxford to our civilization is a bachelor's comfortable drawing room) and the sparkling conversation convey to one the feeling of Auneg Shabos —the joy of the Sabbath.
Like good Chasidim, some of us minor Chasidim and one a Gabbi his translator, we spoke about Achad Ha-am. The doings of the Rabbi his thoughts and his desires were natural topics of conversation. One person expressed disappoiutment at being unable to get him to speak to a University Zionist Society. In such company his de- eision had many defenders. “Firstly one argued he disliked to speak publicly in any language but Hebrew,” “Secondly, a day spent by Achad Ha-am in thinking or writing would prove of more ultimate benefit than a day with lukewarm Jews.” “ Thirdly”’ Achad Ha-am always wrote and published his best work. Let them read his publications.” Of course he had spoken publicly in England and always effectively but then the occasion wrenched a speech from him. The death of a Zionist
writer of Lilienbloom, for example called forth a fine public speech in Hebrew.
The irony of the fact that English-speak-ing Jews did not read Achad Ha-am, the prophet of Hebrew, until he was translated into English was pointed out. And the crushing came "Its not because Achad Ha-am needs our recognition, but because English speaking Jews need his guidance that he has been translated."
Achad Ha-am was then engaged in writing his criticism of Mr. Claude Montefiore's work on the Synoptic Gospels. We learned that it was his practice to write each article with great care. He would often be engaged for two or even more months on an article before it went to press. It explained that "concentration" of his style which has often been remarked upon. Apparently, Achad Ha-am was soon to visit Palestine and after writing about his tour he would not continue with his essays.
The four volumes of "Al Peroshat Derachim" with perhaps a collection of miscellaneous things was to represent Achad Ha-am in future generations. There was a possibility however, that after a rest, he would devote himself to writing on Jewish Ethics. There was a remarkable unanimity of feeling as to the need of such a work and who better than Achad Ha-am to write it?
It was a great night! As some of us were about to leave one of the Chasidim went to the book-shelf and brought down three copies of a portion of the Talmud. Three of them always wound up their Friday evening in this way.
Always when meeting his pupils one felt that Achad Ha-am had not only imparted certain ideas to them, but that these ideas had a great effect on them. The Zionist who knew his Achad Ha-am was forced to go back to Jewish sources and Jewish authorities for his future reading. He would be given in a very real sense a Jewish point of view, i. e. certain standards, with which he would henceforth judge all problems of Jewish social life and all works being on Jewish scholarship.
It was this grasp of a Jewish point of view, the knowledge of the sources, and a proper reading of history that made Achad Ha-am pupils "The warmest and most enthusiastic Zionists and the clearest and deepest thinkers" on Jewish questions.