The Portland daily press., 1896-07-01
THE zIoNITEs.
Their Great Hopes and Their Actual
Achievements.
(Harpe RS Weekly.

| Among the new and noteworthy re-
| ligious movements of the day the sgita-
| tion in favor of return of the Jews to
| the land of their fathers, on account of
| its extraordinary proportions and it's in
ternatfonal character, can claim rather
exceptional pr ominenoe. There has al
ways been, both among Jews and Chris
tians, sentimental OF religious interest
| in the re-establishment OF the children
of Israel as nation or an ecclesiastical
communion in their historic home; but
only in our day and date has the move
me1t assumed q tangible form, and has
a beginning been made toward the reali-
zatiGn of this date. The Zionites, by
which name the propagandists of this
crusade are known, have become pow
err; and the existence of fully three
| dozen jewish colonies in Palestine, with
more than four thousand colonists, has
also the active support of such Jewish
influence as the banking house of Roths-
childs and of the international "Alli-
anoe Israelite," are evidence enough that
we are dealing here with phenomenon
/ deeply rooted in the religious thought
of the times.
The first beginnings of tina Zionite move
ment date back to the persecution of the
Jews in Russia and Roumsnia some
twelve years ago. This aroused among
tho eastern Israelites phenomenal en-
thusiasm for return to the Holy land.
Societies were organized. moneys were
once sent out. One of the results of this
zeal without wisdom was the fate of a
band of students from the University of
Cherson who went to Palestine de-
\ termined to live as plain farmers, but
who paid the penalty of their rashness by
untold sufferings. As early as 1884 the
Russian Zionites held q national Con-
gress at Kattowitz. where was founded
the ''Monteflore Association" later re-
organized, with the sanction Of the gov
81 nment as a Palestine Agricultural
Association. The central seat at is Odes-
sa, and representative committee sits
at Jaffa, where also the organ of the
The plans of the associates have been
carefully matured. Among their ideas
is also the establishment Of the Hebrew
language among the Israeli tss.
The Jaffa school for boys and girls
is almosta Hebrew college; money for
@ Hebrew university in Palestine is re-
ported to be forthcoming. The begin
nings of national Hebrew library at
.iaffa have been made largely through
donations from prominent jewish schol-
ars A regular Hebrew literature Is be-
ing developed. Not only are the standard
works of Humboldt, Schiller, Goethe,
Shakespeare and others being translated,
but also original Hebrew works. special
ly in poetry. belles-letters, fiction, are at
tracing the attention Of the literary
world. Among Jewish lyrical writers
Jehnda Gordon and Mepu deserve special
mention. Jewish political papers such
as tHammagid" CtThe Reporter'') be-
gun in 1866. "Hammeliz" CThe In
terpreter') begun in 1861, both weeklies,
as also the scientific journal =" Hashacher''
(the sMorning DAMP first issued in
1868, have already an international rep
utation. By utilizing thess means and
mediums the Zionites are doing thorough
work to educate their people and enthuse
them for their projects.
A singular cooperative agent they have
found in these Jewish Christian move
ment headed by Rabinowitz, learned
lawyer at Kisheney, southern Russia
| who is known to Americans on account
of she prominent part he took in the Chi
cago religions congress. He aims at the
establishment of Jewish Christian
church, recognizing jesus of Nazareth as
bno MeSSlan Ol GHe WOflI, anu Une Iul-
flment of the Old Testament prophecy
and prediction, but with retension Of
national characteristics of the Jews con-
sidered consistent with the acceptance
of Jesus, such as circumcision, the OBJ
sorvance of the seventh day, andthe like,
and aiming further at the establishment
of this communion in Palestine, with
the Hebrew as the language of the
people. A similar project developed only
last year at Smyrna, but independently
of the Rabinowit8 movement, has al
ready resulted in the establishment of a
jewish Christian colony and congrega.
tion in the Holy Land.