The sun., 1903-01-06
4 vigorous Defence Of the Russian Jews
and OF the ZiOnists.

To THE Enron OF THE SrN-Sir. Having
read your recent editorials on the Zionist
problem, wish to ask you a few questions.
and incidentally. to present few pertinent
facts which speak more elouuently than the
most beautiful phrases.
Are YOU aware OF the fact that the cry OF
assimilation is almost 1000 years old? The
first who wished Jewish assimilation was
Chamoir King of Shechem, and he had more
10 ofier" than the "AmeriCan-born rabbi.
for he even wished TO accept circumcision
(GoneSis, NXAiv). But our ancestor, the
patriarch Jacob. refused, and the Talmud
says YddEor orinu 10 msth-"Our father Jacob
did not die" From the time of the exodus
from Egypt TO the Babylonian exile-a period
of aoo years-there was the never-ceasinC
cry of assimilation. as is seen throughout
the Bible, Assimilation will never succeed
Ezekiel, xN.. a2-3I). Then for the next $50
years the cry ceased TO be heard.
Then arose Rabbi Antochus Epiphanus.
who came to the Jewish Ghetto and demanded
that the Jews accept the language. manners
and customs of the Greeks--that is, in mat
ters OF religion. metaphysical speculations.
He assured them they would not be dis
,lrbed. The Torah. he said they could main
tain: only he wished them to make slight
reform. which should consist OF a few slight
changes in the Thorah-in substance. that
every command which says yes should bc
made no. aud every no" should be- mad"
YES" For instance. Thou shalt not keep
sabbath: Thou shalt eat swine, &c. And b"
did not study IN n college. DO you know what
a hiss he rec, ivcd from Judas Maccabeusr
| doubt if Dr. Siivcrmdn. when he invaded
the Ghetto. would have had the courage 10
withstand such "A hiss. Did his courage even
equal the courage Of those who showed theirs
at the funeral of Jacob losephr
From the tim" Of Rabbi AntoChus this cry
OF assimilation has not ceased. But the jews
do not ISL to sell their birthrieht for dish
of l.utiles. like f.sau, or liz" Judas lscarlot,
who sold Christ for thirty pieces of silver
to usc the modern expression, Tor thirty
cents.
Have YOU seen what an honest Christian
not A Russian Jew-thc Rev. 7. VI. Chalmers,
saws in the Pittshurg Post Of Dec. az ~ j.
were unmask-d to the world. Men preach
religion and yet do not bcli"v" IN God. says
the Rev Mr.. Chalmers. here Is certain
species IN the animal world. monkeys, VI iCn
hav, the appearan 90 of men, but which, after
ALL are not men. so are the reformed rabbis,
who are midway. being neither honest be-
levers nor honest atheists.
Granted the assertion of DIR. Silverman
that /onism is imIractiGabir, should not
every non,,,' man man, rihrncniarM i IL s faboi, & an
even al th" ri-k of failure; do not believe
there j. on" man WHO viii say that Iionism
i supernatural IL depends on the will, and
where there l. a will there IL y way. Indeed,
IL is much easier to establish the Jewish state
ihan to eradicate the immoralltN New
zen viii wish and assist III the cleaning out
of IT," city.
But our al ief protest is against those who
come TO preach to Russian Jews OF Clti2ensl ~
and OF patriotism. NJ ' on" who really knows
the Russian Jew knows Lat u tncr" Is a man
who loves America H." j. th" ONE. and for
reasons that are srli-cvldcnt Nhere have
We failed IN performing our duties of citizen
ship in "A political sense? The Constitution
does not require n change In manners or
customs. DO not We pay our taxes. Did
We not send our men to the front IN the late
war. Didn't our men 20 to the Philippines;
And thes. very Jews are /ionists, History
tells us whether or not /onsts can be pa
triots. ArtaNerSes himself had permitted Nehe-
mah to dcI'Prt and to assist IN the restoration
OF Palestine, ArtaN~rX"s did not say that aIon-
Isl could not u" patriot. What ~ Ptolemy
VI, w,o intrustrd ! l. army To Olias, who
was also subsequently intrusted with an
crmy by cleopatra And w,o was tii-
Of Alexandria. Lord Miner knows better