Evening star., 1896-09-26
THE JEWS As A NATION.
The Possibility Discussed Of Res
tOrntion to Palestine.

tOrntf0n to Palestine.
From the American Jewess.
To our mind there is no loftier ideal.
worthier of realization. than Israers Dream
of Nationality!
The rotten edffice of Turkish misrule is
about to fall. The civilized powers cannot
much longer tolerate the savagery OF the
Turks. There are evidences that the con-
science of continental Europe has at last
been stirred. and the question to whom the
Turkish empire should belong will soon
have to be dealt with. The time may be
upon us in which it will be possible to re-
store Palestine to the Jews. to restore our
nationality: which does not mean that the
Jews who are patriots of the land In which
they are born should leave their country
and flock to Palestine. but that We may
have religious center. and re-establish
the home of our ancestry for those Jews
who are driven from country to country by
race hatred and religious persecution.
There is abundant Jewish money in the
world, and enough Jewish influence among
the powers of Europe, to make this ideal
feasible.
and bred in an atmosphere Of freedom to
form a true conception of the hope behind
the old-time Jews belief in the promise of
1sraers return to Palestine. Oppressed and
prosecuted everywhere, hated and despised
even when free from immediate peril. for
centuries he believed and hoped with an in
tensity of ardor that made vivid reality
of his faith in the restoration of Israel as
a nation. That there are many such yet
who can doubt? Next year. in Jerusa-
lemr' is still the hope of countless thou
sands. that being the last and only conso-
lation mans inhumanity has left them.
Dark. indeed, would be the lives of the
trembling wretches of the czar's domnions
were they deprived of that sustaining trust.
But TO many who are more happily sit
uated the daily petition to be returned is
merely an empty form; to some supersti-
tion-even a fetish: to others the prayer is
| eommemoration or sanctiication: but
| with none Of these Is 1t inspired by the
hope or expectation of fulfllment.
Among the Nations.
Yet. what Jew has not dreamed of Israel
again as nation? 1t can be confidently
asserted that among the sons and daugh-
| ters Of the covenant 1t is an exceptional
| one who has not at some tin.-welt upon
such possibility. Who has not given the
loose rein to fancy and INDUCED in visions
| OF Judah reborn. free. great and glorious
| one of the sister states in a modern fedora
tion of nations? During those idle day
| dreams. when vagrant fancy usurps the
] place of stern reality, who of US has not
| harbored the illusion that he or she was
one OF a great nation of Jewish citizens =?
| Have We not had visions of ourselves as
patriotic Jews. proudly pointing to the
| eagle of Judah. the emblem of free and
happy people? Has 1t not pleased us to
imagine that, If Judah were nation. the
| positions Of Jews in foreign lands would be
| greatly altered for the better; that MANY
| customs and observances now regarded by
| non-Jews with suspicion or dislike would
| be looked upon as commendable and heau
| tiful?
The Jew who. by force of circumstances
| became temporary or permanent dwelleI
in a strangers land, could then OBJ
| serve the customs of his own, cele-
bratc its festivals and cherish its ira.
| ditions with the same freedom which Is
accorded others who have left ''Heimath'
TO 1--we among aliens. To the wandering sol
| of Israel. the knowledge that a recognized
| government stood behind him to protec
him Ill his rights. demand repara ton for in
suit or injury and sustain him as the euua
OF citizens of other nations. would give hin
feeling of confidence which would cndov
! him with dignity of which centuries o
| oppression have robbed him, and which no
| even the widest modern freedom has FULLY
| restored. And what visions of a perfected
iCrm of government does the dreamer be
hold
When, throned or Zions brow,
| The Lord shall rend that veil away
| Which hides the nations now?'
In the land once again flowing with mill
and honey he sees the realza ton of man
kinds highest aspirations-the Utopia o
Eoet, philosopher and philanthropist-th
Kingdom of God as it was revealed t.
| prophetic eyes.
| Mission for Women.
|
I ever anything more? To the modern Jew
| every free country is Holy Land, an
every center of thought and activity a Jeru
| salem. The mission OF Israel is to live an;
strive with and among the nations OF th
world.
| But such is also the Germans mission
| He is like the Jew, scattered all over tn
globe; but this fact did not prevent Ger
mGny frCm becoming bnc of the mighties
| rationS of the world.
| Union is an Irresistible power. If the ma
tiOnal council of Jewish women shoul
adopt an ideal the restora ton of JEWS
nationality, they would at once enl:s; tn
cooperation of their Jewish sisters in Eu
rope: in fact. force a sisterhood of JEWS
women all over the world. to strive for tn
realization of one great aim: and We do no
! hesitate 10 affirm that there is no lack o
l.oble hearted Christians who would asss
Us to realize Israel's long-cherished drean NJ
The work may seem gigantic and out O
womans sphere: bat at present 1t is tn
woman who has the time, the inclinat:o
and the faculty to pursue great objects
Besides. our men will willingly assist an
| guide us with word and deed. The wrong
of centuries cannot be r.ghted at once
Decades may roll by until even the frs
successful step can be taken toward ma
fional home for the enslaved. oppressed an
prosecuted Jews of the world, but there