The Maccabaean

ZIONISM is undoubtedly great as a political movement, world-wide as an organization, complete as an answer to the Jewish question, convincing in its practical achievements and deep as a philosophical theory. But greatest and sublimest of all it is an ideal. As such it is supreme. History knows of numerous examples of enslaved or subdued nationalities making an effort to break their chains and become free. Italy, Bulgaria, Greece and other Balkan, States furnish recent examples of such successful efforts. But all such nationalities lived on their ancestral soil and fought against a single oppressor. But that a nation old as the world, whose territory is the world and whose oppressor is in one way or another also the entire world should one fair morning say: I will defy the world and be reborn; I will break the iron bars of my cage and be once more the free lion of Judah this is so unparalleled in the history of mankind that it is bound to captivate and to enflame the imagination of youth, fill every heart with pride and admiration, and create a desire to share in this glorious ideal.

The dream of national regeneration has always kindled a flame of enthusiasm in the hearts of the noblest sons of a nation. But that a people who left its home countless ages ago and were scattered to all the four corners of the earth, assuming on their wanderings the color of their new environment should still pine for its old home—this is one of the fairest fairy- tales that has become a living reality, and as such is bound to exercise an. enormous moral influence on our vouth.

5 Sr 1 I never quarrel with those who question the practicability of Zionism, for our movement can be better felt than understood. Narrow minds and cold hearts cannot grasp it. Its possibility is within, not without. The greater the apparent difhculties of its realization the higher and more captivating is the ideal. A high ideal has always created a will, and a will has always paved a way. ... Was it possible that few young students without experience, without material means, without equipment should become the agricultural pioneers in a land which was nothing but a desert? Of course, it seemed impossible. But the power of will and the impelling force of a great ideal made it not only a possibility, but a living fact. Did it seem likely that a Wiennese feuilletonist would turn a leader of a great national movement and would, without belonging to the mighty of this world, compell the attention of kings, cardinals and statesmen? Of course, it seemed unlikely. But the power of will and the all- compelling force of a great ideal made it a fact. Who would have thought it probable that a famous American, whose Jewish descent was not even known to all, would become the head of the Zionist movement in America, inspiring thousands of young hearts with devotion to our national cause? Only a great ideal force could effect such a transformation.

Zionist propaganda must be carried on along these lines. However significant our practical achievements, however much there is in Zionism for the amelioration of our economic condition, we must always emphasize this great ideal force. This is particularly necessary

in a land where materialism is rampant. In the desert of materialism where life is so barren, so devoid of greatness, sacredness and beauty we must point to the oasis of idealism, where one may slake his thirst with the fresh cool water drawn from the spring of a great dream of a never-dying nation.

It was Anatole France who addressing a gathering of young students once said: Remember two things— that life is short and that one must not be practical. Propaganda in America was not always carried on along these lines. We occasionally make the error of applying a mathematical standard to an idealistic movement. Our youth is thirsting for a word of inspiration—instead we teach it bookkeeping. I do not want to be misunderstood: for the realization of our object, material means, even material sacrifices are necessary, but our aim should be first and formost to make Zionists, for a man is more likely to pay a shekel because he is a Zionist that to became a Zionist because he vaid a shekel. . .

There is another weak spot in our propaganda— method—our somewhat passive attitude toward assimilation. Sunday after Sunday and all through the week hundreds of assımilation-hirelings are attacking the soul of our people—the National idea. The aim of assimilation is clear: all that is Jewish must be effaced, all that is national must be rooted out. But they lack moral courage to say so; they draw over their real object a veil of sophistry and hide it under high-sounding but meaningless phrases of a Jewish Mission, of an abstract Zion and of a Judaism without Jews. They poison the minds of our youth and quench the last sparks of Jewish national feeling in their hearts. They are as mischievous in their motives as they are unscrupulous in their methods. They falsify Jewish history. They cynically make light of Jewish suffering, occasionally even denounce the Jewish people. They substitute so-called charity for national effort; they discourage Jewish organization. They are the real incarnation of the ghetto, always anxious to please the “goyim,” always apologizing for our existence. The Zionist attitude toward these internal enemies was a kind of benevolent passivity. Our policy was to leave them alone. But, for God’s sake! they do not leave us alone. This can no longer go on. Our duty is clear, we must expose them whenever and wherever opportunity occurs; we must show the nakedness and perversity of their arguments, we must un- mask their real object. Let the people know to distinguish between those who wish the Jewish people to live and those who wish it to die.

The severe crisis through which our people is now passing imposes another task on Zionist propaganda —to teach Jewry the necessity of organization. An effort must be made to organize Jewish communal life on a national basis. We must penetrate into every communal, social and educational Jewish sphere. If throughout the “golus” our history was made for us— not by us, a time has come when we must ourselves make a united effort and pave the way to our liberation —pohysical, material and spiritual.

These should be the aim of Zionist propaganda in America.