The Maccabaean

experiences with the Jewish Encyclopedia, and his travels in China, Corea and Japan (1893). I enjoyed immensely the company of this old friend who had touched life on so many sides. He might have seemed to many one-sided people rather inconsistent, or changeable in his views; to me he appeared in the light of one of our super-Jews of many activities, but essentially whole and harmonious, and in all spheres of activity the same man —a man of conspicuous ability, of great gentleness and simplicity of character. I only regretted that he did not remain active in the Zionist movement.

I met him, also, for the last time during my stay in America in 1913. The locks upon his brow were getting rather silvery—an old man, but with all the sweetness of a venerable scholar. I met him frequently sometimes in his own home, and sometimes at the house of a dear common friend, a well-known Polish scientist, M. Arctowski. This was a continuation of our congress meetings, and for some moments I used to fancy that youth had not yet taken flight. His style of speaking was essentially humorous and very good of its kind, and I have rarely heard him advance an argument save under a humorous garb. Petrograd, Brest, Suvalki, and Warsaw relatives; friends at Kiev, Smicha, Krementshug—many of them common friends —reminiscences of the Russo-Turkish War, stories concerning the Kiev Russian daily paper “Zaria,” in which he had participated and which culminated with

his real life’s work: his contributions to the “Jewish Encyclopedia,” all this passed before our eyes like in a kaleidoscope. Of course, his collaboration in the “Jewish Encyclopedia” was the most important subject. We still have some writers who deal with Russian-Jewish affairs or write Hebrew literature, but how few are those who have, like Herman Rosenthal, had an intimate knowledge of Russian Jewry or of Hebrew literature! He belonged to the few authorities and he endeavored to bring a better knowledge and understanding of these important subjects to English readers. Another important subject of our conversation was obviously Zionism. He was not an organization Zionist and we used to have some disputes; still, difference in theory never prevented the exercise of mutual friendship and confidence. Anyhow, I may say without exaggeration that although he had withdrawn from active Zionist work, he had the national Jewish cause deeply at heart. One day during my stay in New York we met Mr. Jacob H. Schiff with whom we discussed an important problem concerning the Jews in a certain country, and Rosenthal supported my views most emphatically. This was practically the last time I saw him.

ee ON ENN IEEE I ER ORI EP EROE® Now, he is no more with us! He has left a great void in our ranks of Jewish intellectuals and national Jews. I mourn him as a great friend and an older colleague. May the earth lie lightly on his head! Everlasting peace be with him!

Cease your mourning and your weeping.Throw the sackcloth from your head,Cease your dreaming and your sleepingRise ye from your lowly bed!

Weeping will not bring salvation,Tear-drops will not make us free;Nor can mourning raise a nationFrom the depths of misery!

Not by ancient woes bewailingCan redemption come again.Rise! and whilst the day-dawn hailing,Strike to break the Goluth-chain!

Let the slumbering spirit waken,Throw the yoke from off your head;Prove to them they were mistaken—They that thought our spirit dead.

Death is Goluth,—and stagnation;LIFE in Zion calls the free.Unite! and for our homeless nation,Win a home and liberty.

Cease your mourning and your weeping, Cease to bend both back and knee; Cease your dreaming and your sleeping— Up and make Old Israel free!