The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1916-03-20

From sunset on Saturday night to
sunset tonight the Jews of the world
celebrate the festival of Purim, the
most popular of all Hebrew feasts. At
this time, when such multitudes Of
the people of Israel in Palestine,
Russia, Turkey, Poland, the Balkan
States and other lands are suffering
untold miseries as result of the war,
it would seem that rejoicing is inap-
propriate. The historic lesson of
Purin. however, is that IsraePs enc
mics are always in the end defeated
and it is a.1fact. that Pur1m is never
more enthusiastically observed than in
periods of storm and stress and suf-
fering. The undaunted spirit which
has carried the Jewish race through
so many prosecutions seems to thrive
on opposition.
That the Jewish people will emerge
from the trials and tribulations of
war with prospects of greater free
dom and security than ever before is
the firm BELIEF of nearly every He
brew. Besides the de1iverance. of the
Persian Jews from the clutches of
Hannah, who had plotted their ex-
termination, (which is the event COM
emorated BY the Purim feast, the
Jews can point to; scores of other his
tor,ic instances in which the chosen
people have survived persecution and
mics.
It is the belief of most Hebrews
that, however the war may terminate,
their people in Russia will have gain
ed by their patriotism and devotion
the respect of their Christian coun-
trymen and will enjoy a, vastly greater
liberty and prosperity than ever be-
fore. Even if the Russian govern
nent and people should remain OBJ
durate they believe that France and
Great Britain will use all their inf1u-
ence to fnaugurate a new era of peace
and justice for the Jews in the Cars
dominions. No matter how decisive a
victory the Allie may achieve, Russia
will realize that she is helpless against
Germany unless backed by France and
England, and the Gar and his advis-
ers will lend ready ears to all the re-
forms that may be proposed by the
liberal AMI enlightened statesmen of
France and Great Britain.
That the Turks will be driven from
Palestine, and that country given
over to the Jews, with the protection
of the great Powers, is another hope
which many Jews will permit them
selves to entertain during this Purim
festival. The suffering of the starv-
ing Jews in Palestine, they believe. is
water the sacred flower of Jewish ma
tionalism and independence.
However much or little the Jews
may gain when the time for casting
up accounts has arrived, they have
certainly suffered much from the
ravages of war. Every warning ma
ton has in its army large numbers
of Jews, and they have been among
the bravest of their soldiers. The pa
triotic spirit of the Hebrews of Great
Britain and France has been espe- |
cially noteworthy, and many Jewish |
soldiers in these armies have peen
decorated for yaIor.
According to, the latest available
figures, the Jews of the world num-
Der 1909, 846. OF these by far the |
greater number are in Europe, which
claims 9,950,175 of them. North |
America has 2,144,061 Hebrews. The
total for Asia, the continent Of their
origin, is only 4S4.359, while Africa |
las 404, 1885, In South America there |
are only $4,000 Jews, and in Oceanic |
19.415.
4 Considerably more than half of the |
worlds Jews are to be found in the |
countries involved in the present war
In fact, Russia alone comes near to |
having half. with a total Jewish pop