The Maccabaean

THE present crises has overtaken us just when we were ready to set the wheel of our Palestine work in motion at a greater velocity; and it was as if the danger signal had been given to a train in full speed, when the sudden application of the brakes not only stopped the flying engine, but also drove it backwards a little. People who had come here with the intention of starting new branches of business and industry, left disappointed and without accomplishing anything. The business chances for the coming season are almost gone, and the educational institutions, to which there used to flock pupils from practically all parts of the world, are barely filled rather than overcrowded, as in former years. In fact, the whole weakness of the Jewish settlement in Palestine has been laid bare at this moment. The so-called "old settlement," as well as the "new settlement," are, in more than one way, dependent upon the Goluth. In the first place, most of the public institutions in Palestine, and some of the private undertakings, are simply unthinkable without the funds continually flowing in from abroad. Secondly, the products of the Jewish colonies are of a nature such as to require, almost exclusively, a foreign market. And since the regular sources of income for the public institutions were cut off, and the whole market was closed to the Palestinian products, it can easily be surmised in what a plight the Jewish settlement in this country has been left.

The situation has been aggravated by two other facts called forth by the present economic state of the country. Palestine is entirely dependent upon Europe for some of the most necessary commodities, such as kerosene, sugar, tea, coffee, tanned leather, etc. It is, therefore, quite natural that the present crisis, trade with abroad being at a standstill, should, in this respect, affect this country more than all other. Even for those commodities that are plentiful here, such as meat, eggs, and vegetables, the Jews are dependent upon the Arabs, who control the internal market in these things. Now, at the present moment, when the banks have declared a moratorium and gold is scarce, the cheque system (a sort of paper currency) has been established in Palestine. The Arabs, knowing very little of this system, insist upon the payment of gold or cash. The consequences can be easily understood: the gold flows into the pockets of the Arabs and the paper remains with the Jews, the latter medium of barter falling in value from day to day.

With these odds against the Jewish 'settlement, who knows whither things would have drifted were it not for the internal organization of Palestinian Jewry, and the timely aid that came from America. The organization of the Jews of this country in the present situation is rather an encouraging chapter in the history of Jewish settlement here. It proves once more how well and effectively the Jews, if allowed, can organize. Immediately after it had become evident that there was a likelihood of the crisis being prolonged, various committees were established for the purpose of facing and dealing with the situation. And the organization showed immediate results. The panic was stayed; the waadim (the town boards) of the various Jewish settlements issued cheques of two cents and upwards as a medium of exchange in place of cash, and the Jewish public received them with perfect trust. Stores were set up, where the necessaries of life are being sold at a low price. The prices of commodities were, more or less, regulated, and, in some places, where the Arabs refused to accept cheques for meat, wholesale butcher shops were opened by the waadim. Tea houses and cheap

lunch rooms were arranged for the poor and public works were instituted for the benefit of the workmen.

However effective this self-help may have been it would not have been sufficient for a community that depends so much upon a foreign market and foreign assistance. The aid that came from beyond the Atlantic was, therefore, very timely, though not far reaching. With all this, I am not ready to enter on an encomium upon this assistance. It smacks, after all, too much of the Chalukah; and besides, the community here deeply felt the insult of having the al- moners, so to speak, appointed beforehand. The insult was so strongly felt for two reasons: first, Palestine Jewry is becoming more and more conscious of a growing strength and self-dependence; and so it objected to foreign tutelage in general. Secondly, two of the three men appointed by the American committee are the most unpopular in this country. To me, however, this affair is interesting from another point of view: I was struck with the efficiency with which the money was handled in those towns and colonies where public sentiment is well developed, particularly in Jaffa. For the quarter of a million francs sent here by the American Jews, God knows, is paltry enough in comparison to the loss of a year’s crop and to the needs of hundreds of idle workmen; and yet the activity of the “Waad ha-Ezra ha Ameri- kait” (the American Aid Committee) comes to the fore in many directions. Observing this fact, I could not help thinking of another sort of assistance that is not momentary like the former, but continuous, that comes here not only from America, but from the whole world, that does not flow like a meandering rivulet, but that pours in like a broad stream, and yet, alas! leaves no more impression upon the land than a heavy rain upon a sandy waste. I mean the Chalukah that brings into the land millions and millions of francs every year, with the result, however, of producing nothing but idleness, ignorance and bigotry. Is it not high time, then, that the Chalukah also be taken hold of and arranged so that it be a blessing instead of a curse to this country? And who is to do it if not American Jewry? American Jews have the greatest share in the Chalukah. They fully realize the meaning of organized public activity, witness their tremendous charity and proud public institutions. It is, therefore, incumbent upon them to bring order into the chaos of the Chalukah; to organize its collections and place tbe funds not into the hands of the “gabaei hakolelim,” to dispose of it arbitrarily, but in those of the real representatives of the people, in order to turn it into a source of productivity.

The American Jews should take more than a merely philanthropic interest in Palestine, for their own good as well as for that of this country. If I were to divide the work for Palestine, I should assign the buying of land to the Russian Jews and the establishing of industries to the American Jews. The former, having a multitude of reason for leaving their country, and leaving in a hurry, and having, besides, no great funds at their disposal, cannot indulge in the new country of immigration; they must walk in trodden paths. And the trodden paths in Palestine mean purchasing land in the shape of a farm or other landed property. Not so the American Jews; these have the command over greater funds, have learned to organize larger trades and industries, and they, moreover, know the secret of “Cast thy bread upon the waters, for in many days thou wilt find it again.” It is for them to make the experiment of introducing trades and industries into Palestine, and wait for results. And that their endeavors in this direction will be crowned with success, I do not have the slightest doubt.