The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-04-28
BE REV, IsRABLITE, JEW.
A Rabbits Explanation of the Mean
ings of the Three Words
From The Washington Eventng Star.

From The Washington Evering Star.
1t is not an unfrequent occurrence that l
am asked which OF the three appellations
given to our people, Hebrew, Israeite or
Jew, be the more correct or acceptable. |
have no doubt that one or the other among
you have had similar questions to answer,
nor that you experienced some difficulty in
shaping your reply. In books. periodicals
and daily papers, in public meetings and
| private conversations, these words are used
| either indiscriminaUelY or with an apparent
| doubt as to whether or not one or the other
would be preferable, or perhaps objection
| able. In order to form correct opinion it
would appear necessary to have some
| knowledge of the etymology, origin and
former usage of these terms.
Hebrew-in our sacred tongue called
"Ibri, us derived from "avar, to cross"
''come over.n 1t was first applied by the
ancient inhabitants of Palestine TO the
| family OF our ancestor, Abraham, who,
migrating from Mesopotama to Palestine,
| had to cross or pass ever the river
| Euphrates. 1t was the name by which the
Jews were known to foreigners in ancient
| days. Thus Joseph is spoken of by the
! Egyptians, and introduced himself to them
as an "Ibri" or Hebrew" Miriam asks
| Pharaoh's daughter whether she should go
| and call Hebrew woman, Moses speaks to
} Pharaoh of the GOD of the Hebrews" and
the Prophet Jonah tells the heather
mariners, II am a Hebreww
| The second term, Israel" "Israelite," is
to be traced to the story of Jacob wrestling
with a mysterious being at "Peniel, when
he was told: Thy name shall be called no
more Jacob, but Israel" that is, striving
with God, victorious in God, )" or, as Gesen
dus translates, soldier Tor Champion of
| God"
Thus the term Israel or Israelite points to
the mission of the children of our race-to
wrestle with or battle against any forces
hostile to their sacerd trust, at the same
time foreshadowing their final triumph and
victory.
The name "Israel" became the national
name OF the twelve tribes, collectively.
Later, after the division of tine kingdom
under Jeroboam, the name applied only to
the ten seeding tribes forming the north
ern kingdom, known as the kingdom Of
Israel, in contradistinctiont to the southern
kingdom, consisting chiefly of the tribes Of
Judah. Ben jamin and Levi. After the de-
struction of the ten-tribe Kingdom we find
the old name Israel again used to designate
the people Of the kingdom Of Judah, and
the name "lsraei,n collectively, and Israel
ite." individually, has to this day remained
in common usage.
The third appellation, "Jehudi, "or "Jew.
originates in the name given by Jacobs
| wife, Leah, to her fourth son, Judah" or
| God. For at his birth the mother ex-
claimed. This time 1 will give thanks I'M
to the Lordm The name was nobly borne
by the noble and sturdy son Of Jacob, whose
record throughout is without stain or blem-
ish. The tribe of Judah, named after him,
was the most numerous, entsrprisiug aud
valiant among all the tribes of Israel.
During the march through the desert
Judah's place was in the van of the host.
The traditional standard of the
tribe was a lions whelp. with
the words: arise, O., Lord, and let
thine enemies be scattered" Later the
name "Jehudi," or Jew was applied to a
member of the kingdom OF Judah after the
separation of the kingdom Of Israeli, even
to those not OF the tribe Of Judah; proof Of
which we find in the fact that in the book
of Esther Mordecai. though Of the tribe of
! Benjamin, is called "Ish Jehudi," a
"Jehud" or "Jew." After the return from
the Babylonian captivity ell the members
of the new state were called Jehudim, Jews
or Judeans the name being extended to the
remnants of the people scattered through
| out the nations.
So much as to the etymology and hstor-
,ical significance of the names Hebrew"
"Israelite," and jew" From it it appears
that among tue three the first, Hebrew"
is the most ancient and remote And as in
ancient days by it the Jew was distin-
guished from foreigners. so to-day it would
appear that In order to point out anything
distinctively Jewish the word Hebrew is
more properly applied. Thus we speak of a
Hebrew language, Hebrew literature,
Hebrew melodies, etc. Otherwise the
appellations Israelite and Jew, or Israel
itish and Jewish, are more fire.
quently employed as more ex-
pressive and characteristic in their mean
ing and important in history. OF the two
the former is name of honorable distinc-
ton, referring to the divine calling Of Is
rael, the spiritual combat of truth against
falsehood, of light against darkness, in
which our people were enlisted as nation
ia which they were still engaged when,
with the fall of Jerusalem and the destruc-
ton of the temple, they ceased to be a ma
ton, and which will not terminate until, in
the fullness OF time, Gods light and truth
will finally triumph.
And with the name "Israelite" that of
"Jew." the children of our race will ever
proudly bear and cherish. They trace its
origin to the noble ancestor, and brave and
distinguished tribe, whose name was per-
petuated in the kingdom Of Judah, loyal
and true to its ancestral faith and tradi-
| tions.
And when the autonomy of Israel as a
nation was destroyed its fragments though
scattered broadcast over the earth-were
still closely united by the strange spell Of
that ancient name Jehudi or Jew, by which,
individually, we were aud still are wont to
call each other and by which we are chiefly
recognized by the world.
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