New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-02-03
Foundation Stones of IsraePs Dream
Progress Toluard
The Home in Zior,
ARTICLE ~
By Bernard G.. Richards

iutAor Of "The Dlscourses Of Ketdamsky.'
Literary Editor Of s'The Moccaboean Mag
aSt~e," ard ErccutSpe Secretary Of the
Amertoa~ Jes0<sh Congress.
TT WAS the day after the capture
Of Jerusalem by the British
forces, when two Jews, one an
active worker in the Zionist ranks
and the other a passive sympathizer.
met and stopped to discuss the good
news. Following upon the heels OF
the English declaration in favor Of
Jewish homeland, this historic mill
tary victory caused much rejoicing in
all Jewish quarters; but the rejoicing
was somewhat restrained by an in
ability to grasp the full Significance
of the event, and not few Of the
celebrants betrayed certain per-
plexity, an almost dazed attitude of
mind.
"Tcll me-" anxiously inquired the
passive sympathizer. sis it true, is it
really going to happen; are we at last
to have our own land?"
Vel tdiulJ, SdAO lbC dSSANO WA >~A'
england has said Sc; the Allies arc
with US; our President, the great
friend of all oppressed nationalities,
is said to be in sympathy; His HoN-
ness, the Pope Of Rome, has given his
sanction, and enlightened statesmen
and leaders Of thought throughout the
world have erstwhile expressed their
approval Of our ideal"
The inquirer persisted in question
ing.
when, how" he continued to ask,
will we really live to see it?"
His informant endeavored to further
assure and enlighten him, and recited
many more important incidents relat-
ing to the recent political develop
ments. He outlined some Of the pre-
liminary steps which would ultimate
~ be taken in the actual rebuilding Of
the land.
The questioner, still unable to
grasp the significance Of it all, con-
tinued to ask how and when it would
be done, and-thouGh he did not say
so in so many words-how the whole
thing would become visible to his
naked eye.
His mentor suddenly stopped to
think. He had caught an unexpected
glimpse of the Jewish tragedy; not a
tragedy Of long yearning, fruitless
waiting and failure of realization, but
the tragedy of inability to understand
the realization, of that fatal dctach-
ment from reality which had benumbed
the faculty for grasping the larger
facts of life, the great changes of po-
litical significance. So long have been
the years Of oppression, so complete
has been the political isolation of Jews
in the Old World, SO uncertain has been
the tomorrow, so completely had they
to escape the outward horrors, with
drawn within their spiritual selves, that
the march of significant events had
lost all meaning for them, and now
when these events have brought in their
trail changes that hold forth a new
day, many were dazed by the announce
ment and were pitifully incapable OF
comprehcnding the signs and tokens Of
the new time.
On hearing this incident, l recalled
another day, when at the end of long
arduous and exhausting session of {
meeting, at which we dealt with va
rious practical aspects of the organiza
ton Of Zionism, a cultivated Hebrew
scholar who had witnessed the pro
ceedings turned to me ands said: Gal
this is very well-reports, pamphlets
lists of speakers, publications, budgets
collections, records Of societies-bu
what are we DOING for Zon?"
WaJJ;pe, the Dream