The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-08-07
Jews Fast in Memory of the Downfall of
 Their Nation

Hebrews of this city will begin this evening the annual feast of Alb. in commemoration of the burning of the temple in Jerusalem by the soldiers of Titus. This tragedy, which spell ed political ruin for the Jewish na- ton and marked the end of Jewish nationality, is the inspiration of an impressive and solemn religious cere- mony in synagogues the world over. The zionists will observe the fast of the ninth of Alb by collecting funds for their war-stricken co-religionists in Palestine, as well as to forward the movement for re-establishing the Jewish center in Jerusalem.
 While the world war has brought sorrow and suffering to millions of Jews, and these stricken ones will not be forgotten by the worshippers in this land of peace and plenty, there is also a feeling among the Jews that the titanic conflict of the European pow CTS will in the end bring about the realization of their dream. The re- storation of Palestine to the Jews is admittedly among the possi oilities of the near future. That the grasp of Turkey upon the ancient land of the Hebrews may soon be loosened seems altogether likely, and it is certain that the return of the country to it's historic owners would meet with the approval of all enlightened people.
 Few of the cities of the worG have suffered as much from wars and sieges as Jerusalem. Since the Is- raelites took the city from the Jebu- sites, and David set up his capital on Mount Zion, the holy city has many | T,, 971 B. c. it was taken by the king of Egypt, who footed the temple of it's treasures. It was subsequently conquered and pillaged by King Je- hoash. In the sixth century B. c. the city was twice besieged and taken by Nebuchadnezzar, the Baby1onian con- queror. The second siege lasted three years, and on it's termination the visi- tors applied the torch to the temple and palaces, and carried away Zede- kiah, the last king of the house of David and many of his people.
 After a long period of Persian rule the Egyptians again appeared before the walls of Jerusalem. Pacifism reached its height on that occasion, for the defenders of the city refused to fight because it was the Sabbath, and Ptolemy gained an easy victory and plundered the city. The Syrians were the next masters of Jerusalem, and. in 169 Antioehus massacred the people, defiled the temple, and pro- hibited the Jewish worship. This caused the revolt of the Jews led by the Maccabees,wh after fierce strug- gle obtained possession of the city. Then, in 63 B. C., came the Romans of Pompey, who demolished the walls and slew 12,000. of the people In the following period the temple was re- built on grander scale, and Jerusa- lem reached the height of it's glory, with. nearly 100000 people. Roman tyranny at length drove the Jews to revolt, and in 66 A. D. the insurgents took the city and routed Roman army. Retribution was swift and ter- rible, for four years later Titus, son of the Emperor Vespasian, took the city and burned the temple, after one of the most terrible sieges in history. during which the Jews died like flies from starvation and disease. The city was razed to the ground.
 With the final passing of the Jew ish nation Jerusalem entered upon a new but no less tragic phase of it's his- tory, in which it was taken and re- taken in turn by the Romans, the Persians, the Crusaders and the Sar- acens, only at last to fall into the clutches of the Turks