Los Angeles herald., 1908-07-20
ZIONISTS MEET
TO HONOR HERZL
ANNIVERSARY OF HIS DEATH
DULY OBSERVED
SYNAGOGUE SERVICES ATTRACT
ENORMOUS CROWD
Movement Has Received Immense Inn
petus Throughout the World by
Continued Persecution of
Jews In Russia

The fourth anniversary of the death
of Theodor Herzl was observed yester-
day by Jews all over the world. The
date of the memorial service was set
recently by the Federation of American
Zionists, with head offices at New York.
The local body OF Zionists known as
the "Ahavath Zion society,"" congre-
gated at the Olive Street synagogue at
$3.50 o'clock last night and were adj
dressed by Rabbi Isadore Myers and
Rev. DIR. jacobson, the latter speaking
in the German tongue by special re-
quest of many of the Zionists who were
better able to comprehend that Ian
guage. Many persons prominent in the
business and social world of Los An
geles were among the audience and the
synagogue was literally packed.
Rabbi lsidore Myers gave biograph-
ical account of Theodor Herzl dwelling
principally upon the following five SUBJ
JectS which he chose from the FIRST
letters of the great Zionist's name. The
first letter, H, was for home, meaning
the land which the Jews were trying
to buy from the Turkish government
and which when bought would be used
for the establishing of a nation. E. for
the enterprise which the great leader
@hSpAAOQ III the AcdIlS OF MS follow
ers; r, fer the respect which he de-
manded from the whole civilized world
in behalf of the Jew; q, for the Zion.
or Palestine, which they were irving
TO buy from the Turks, and L, for the
land itself, which was considered the
best in that part of the world. He said.
'Theodor Herzl was the leader of
Zionism and was born in Budapest Nav
z, 1860. During his boyhood he settled
in Vienna and was educated for the
law. Later he took the required Aus
TRAN legal degrees. but devoted him
self entirely to journalism and litera-
ture. His early work was in no way
related to Jewish life, but was of the
feuilleton order. descriptive rather than
political. During this period he was
connected with the Neue Erie Presse at
Paris as a journalist, and soon became
editor, which position he held until his
death. While connected with this pa
per he wrote for the Viennese stage.
furnishing comedies and dramas.
Given Post of Leader
From April, 1896. when the English
translation of his 'Judenstaat' an
peared, his career and reputation
changed. His forerunners in the field
of Zionism date back through the nine
teenth century, but of this, perhaps. he
was least aware. In April, 1896, he was
in Constantinople, and on his return
was hailed at Sofia, Bulgaria, by a Jew
ish deputation. He then went to Lon
don, where the Maccabeans received
him coldly. Five days later ne was
given the mandate OF leadership from
the East end of London. and within sis,
months this mandate was apnroved
throughout Zionist Jewry.
His life now became one unceasing
round of effort. His supporters, at first
only a small group, literally worked
night and day. Jewish life had there
tofore been contemplative and con-
Quoted by routine. HerzI inspired his
friends with the idea that men whose
aim was to re-establish a nation must
throw aside ali conventialities and
work at all hours at any task
TN 1887 he planned the first Zionist
congress. He was elected president OF
this congress and unanimously re-
elected president at every Zionist con-
gress since that time and during his
life. In 1898 he began a series of diplo-
matte interviews, and met the German