Omaha daily bee., 1905-08-07
OUR LETTER SOX


rev words or comment Hueut your editorial
ON "Zionism' or rather "Frenzied Zion
ism as II appeared In your Sundays issue.
July 80, whicn, In my opinion, is not only
inconsistent and contradictory from logi-
cal and historical standpoint, but Is very
likely to get your readers under an err
roneous impression as to the real meaning
editorial sets out as follows:
Among the traditions most cherished by
orthodox Jews is the promised revival of
the Kingdom Of God through the restora-
uon OF Palestine to the children of Israel.
Ihis making the restoration Of Pales-
dition to the kingdom of God and CON
srquenuy as long as that condition is not
fulfilled. as long as Palestine is being with
htld from the Jew, the Jew must neces-
sarily be understood to deny and renounce
tne Kingdom Of God. or that the Kingdom
or God is presently kept in suspense.
rms is not only gross injustice to the
orthodox Jews, who are making up about
y per cent of the Jewish population all
the world over, but also a good many re
form Jews, for there is quite number of
active Zionists who are at the same time
ITauIcai reformers and of the most prom
The Jew, ever since he appeared on the
stage OF the worlds history, always did
as ne stu does, recognize God as the
supreme being, the ruler OF the world and
aHalrs OF men, not because of miracles
performed or favors bestowed or to be be-
slowed, but because he regards him as the
creator, author and the first cause of the
universe. BE not like servants says one
OF our sagCs, who minister to their ma ster
upon condition of receiving reward.
Israels experience in the past did not Gre
ale MS faith in God but simply strength
ehed H. The Kingdom of God does not de-
pyLTu pyiiiTuo on the acquisition OF Palestine or
fhlIlstlne. As a matter Of fact the King
G0iil istl, OIL God can hardly be said to have ex-
lsted even while Israel was" in possession
OF Palestine. What the prophets meant
Nhen they spoke OF the Kingdom of God
yIi.s was that idolatry will be abolished and
The phrase was generally used when con-
n,,5 ri1S1eu with the Kingdom of the worldly
pT"GlIS' of old Swayed 6y idolatry, as the rabbs
" i, oiu were wont TO say, In the future
an men shall take upon themselves the
YOKE OF the Kingdom Of God when casting
we also find the phrase to have received
SHother shade of expression, as the
hInsdom OF Heaven,' which seems to have
Deen used when referred to the Kingdom
OF Rome. (Matthew iii, 2D Still later the
conception OF the Kingdom OF God" was
maze, iiaae Sa entirely spiritual one, and was
luehtlled with the world to come" spirit
ual life originating perhaps with early
| 0hrlstlanlty when oy the trend of events
was led to disavow all political expecta-
| tlons antagonistic to Rome (Jewish En-
cyclopedia, volume VIII
AT all events, the phrase was never used
IN the sense construed or interpreted by the
edltor and | may say that Kingdom of
Goa has very little to do, If at all, with
Ine G restoration OF Palestine to the Jews.
| we do hope for the Kingdom of God, but
| not by getting the Jew at Palestine but
| by getting mankind to understand the Jew
! from Palestine, and furthermore that IL
| does not entirely depend on God either
! but man, as Ruskin SAYS IF YOU do
wish I. His kingdom, don't pray for 1t, but
! II you do you must do more than pray for
/ 1t, you must work for it, or as the Ha-
| sidaean phrase runs, Man must take upon
! himself the yoke of the Kingdom of God
| in order that it may be established on
| earth"
! The return to Zion, however, has been
turies." continues your editorial, 'and it
! appears more remote now than II has ever
! been since the destruction of Jerusalem by
| no aufA Va4 ,,
| tradition of the restoration to Zion is kept
! alive from generation to generation and the
! prayer next year in Jerusalem is fer
! Vently offered at each recurring festival of
| the Passover "
Why the restoration to Zion is more remote
| now than has ever been is certainly not
/ clear The fact that the prayer next
| year In Jerusalem has eliminated in or
ganizing the present Zionistic movement,
parts of America, South Africa, India
| China, Japan, Australia and through ali
gregations are to be found, hundreds of
societies have been formed for the sup
port Of this national movement; the fact
that Zionism has succeeded in bringing
| together men and women of different walks
| In life, of different shades of opinion and
from different parts of the world to NEE,
| on one platform for one and the same
aim and object; the fact that there is
| probably not a single country in Europe .
| as reported by the Alliance Israelte Unit
| verselle where the Jews enjoy wider and
| more complete tolerance than in Turkey
|
authorities the fact that this ZionistlC
| movement is being approved by the Eu.
ropean powers and by some OF the greatest
SALISBURY and others; in view OF these
facts there is no positive telling how fal
The editor, however, seems to think diff
| ferent; that II is more remote now thar
it has ever been. But he gives us neither
safe to say they are simply imaginary
and as newspaper man he is to be ex
cused.
"a revival of the ancient tradition
within recent years under the name o.
ZiGnsm by y frenzied yisionSries says tn,
edltorlal, who mistakes the unrest amonl
the Jews of Russia and Roumania as
worldwide yearning for the restoration o
! the Kingdom of Israel"
1 wonder what the editor means by tn,
term 'unrest?' He certainly does not meal
oppression, persecution or massacre, or els
he would have used proper words, or a
least their equivalent, and as unrest mean
disquietude especially of the mind, H.
surely did not mean anything but what h.
said and nothing more: Yet, the fact tina
the Jews in Russia and Roumania are SUI
fering not simply from unrest" but crue
| oppression, outrageous persecution, blood
massacre and from all sorts OF inhumaI
atrocities, as it is well known to any ma
} abreast of the times, proves beyond Ques
ton who is mistaken and who is the "fren
! zied visionary who knows and who under
stands the condition and status of the Jew
here, there and everywhere.
! "Zionism, says the editor, tends to ere
ate the impression that the movement ma
lile uIlNtISdl assent Oh All VINO profess IN
, faith" Then what about It? In the frs
place II certainly has the approval of ever
one that has any regard for the welfare O
his fellowman, and why should not on
sympathiZe with a movement that tends I
alleviate the sufrertngs and mtseries O
millions Of human beings? But even II
. does not get the assent of all the people
, that is no criterion as to the merits or de
merits of any cause or movement. A mi
nority is not always in the wrong, nor
e the majority always in the right The bes
S cause, the best principle may fail II It doe
II not get sufficient support, and people ar
= usually slow for high achievements, IL IN
y undertaking involves some sacrifice. Di
70 | the American people all agree at the reVC
= | lutionary war? Did they all agree at tn
I | civil war? Do the citizens OF Omaha a
n agree on political or social issues?
THE recognized leaders OF the Zionisti
=, | Zangwill and Max Nordau. Although di.
d tinguished in the realm OF literature, Zanl
Il will and NOrdau are, when II comes
r | practical affairs, and especially state builc
= ing mere dreamers Of dreams ."
- l wonder again what the editor NEAR
| by practical affairs" ZangWill who
| not the star of this century, as some al
h wont TO call him, is certainly one of n
a great modern lights in the realm OF liter
: ture and DR.. NOrdau being one OF II
, greatest in the world OF science and lite
l. ature, they both know nothing about pra,
l.. teal affairs, but the editor of The Bee
a suppose, knows. But how can people WI
y know nothing about practical affairs b,
10 come recognized leaders" OF a movemeI
It counting millions OF followers is beyor
"a my comprehension, and the editor
: practical affairs has been so clear ar
l. logical in his phraseology Il will not