The Denver Jewish news., 1918-10-31

parent blue of the sky which Is the
seas gift suggested an approach to the
Elysian Fields.
The promise Is not entirely realized
for JafIa is still largely collection of
mean and dirty houses. Ontwardly il
is little changed. 1t has escaped the
horrors of war. and during the last
three years has even been cmbellished
by the Turks. Djemal Pasha has de.
sired to be remembered for good in one
place, and an avenue bearing his name
now runs from Ramleh Road to the
High street, which is fianked by orna.
mental gardens and has in its centre
music-kiosk of the most approved and
snowy character The avenue was the
work of q Jewish engineer and con.
tractor, and was apparently prompted
by a desire to emulate the boulevards
of the Jewish suburb, Tel Aviv.
Within the town the British author
tiles on their part have already intro
duced a measure of cleanliness and or.
der, and they have cleared road
through the maze of lanes leading to
the port. They have restored too, in
part. the commercial activity of the
place, and made it again n haven.
Over year ago the Turks, in mocl
ian population, and 10000 Jews were
rendered houselcss. Those of them
who had the good fortune to take ref
uge in the South of Palestine have been
able since the English occupation to re-
turn to their homes, and three or four
thousand are now back. Their houses
had been little damaged, and the spirit
which made the place has been quick.
ened by the fresh hope of Israel. True,
the chief pride of the Jewish tOwnlet,
the Gymnasium or High School, is still
used as military hospital, and one
school has now to suffice for a commu-
nifty which used to boast half dozen.
Tel Aviv, though not yet restored tc
the whole of its eager life. has, how
ever, new distraction. The Zionist
flag flies from the house where the Di-
rector of the Palestine Office of the
Zionist Organization used to dwell, and
it marks the presence of headquarters
more nearly touching the people than
an tother. Here in constant session
works the Zionist Commission which
has recently arrived from England,
authorized by the British Government
to prepare the way for the national
resettlement The Commission is the
earnest of the Jewish repatriation. Its
arrival Mt this stage means that thru
England's noble impulse the Jews are
recognized by the Allies as the people
who have the paramount interest in
the living Palestine and the capacity
to restore the land to its fitting place
In civilization. The erection of Tel
Aviv is one of.the evidences of that Gu
pacity. And as young Jewess who
lives there said: Not only is the place
good, but the life in it is very good"
It is one of the principal tasks of the
Commission to spread the spirit of the
founders Of Tel Aviv over the whole of
the country that has been redeemed
from the Turks
As / stood on the balcony of the
house overlooking the townlet, which
had been. nothing but sand dunes,
remembered the last time was there.
few months before the outbreak of
the war. Mr.. Ruppin, the director of the
Palestine Bureau, had brought out
telescope, and we looked through it at
the moon and the stars. He was used
to seeking peace and rest in this way
from all the worrying cares of the
world. The moon was in her first quar-
ter. and, gazing through the telescope.
l saw beyond the thin golden crescent
the rest of the orb, touched with the
light and relieved from the surround
ing blackness. The sight blended str;k-
ingly with my thoughts concerning Pal
estime. During the last twenty years the
Jews had opened a new era in the his
tory of Palestine. As yet only small
portion of the country was lighted up
by the Jewish effort, but the rest, tho
gaze of the faithful n reflection of the
light which shone from the smaller
part. and gave suggestion of beauty
Of the whole which would be manifest
when the Revival was fully achieved.
Despite the gathering of the terrible
storms the light has never been
eclipsed. 1t has continued so to ex-
tend its illumination that if the Jewish
people will rise today to the height of
their opportunity we may hope to see
the perfection of the full orb.