The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-02-18
MODERN JERUSALEM
IS PLAN OF BRITISH
American Jews Asked 10 Go 10 Pnlcs.
tine TO Aid in the
Movement.

| A commission of American Jews win
go to Palestine within a few weeks
10 meet, at the indirect request OF
the British government, a joint COM
mission of British. Spanish and Rus
sian Jews. all scientists, who. are to
make survey of the historic land
recovered by British arms from the
Turk. Among the important matters
to be worked out are boundary lines,
water supplies and methods of making
Jerusalem a modern city.
The British government, which has
found indirect but positive means of
communicating with Jewish sentiment
In New York, has indicated that II fs
planning restoration of Palestine
upon lines laid down by Jews them
serves. The desire has been express
ed that the Joint commission whose
recommendations are asked by Great
Britain shall be In Palestine by Aprtl.
and the opinion was expressed yestar
day that the members of the Amerf-
can commission will be selected at
once
Among the many interesting mat.
ters TO be settled is the name of the
restored land. Shall II be Palestine
or Judea! The Jews OF Jerusalem do
not favor Palestine" although II is
used commonly by the Jews OF the
rest Of the world, because, they saw.
the name rests upon no historical
IcuEdation and is without sentiment
In the hearts OF Jewa
Jews IN New York hear that the
purpose of the British government is
TO create four small states from the
territory Wrested from the Turk, and
mat these states Will have the protec-
/ tion or Great Britain until the League
or nations can be set up effectively.
| Ihese four states are to be Armenia
ana Lebanon, In the north. the last
named to have Damascus az it's can't
tai; Palestine or Judea, with Jerusa-
lem as the capital, and Arabia in the
I south, the last named state to be for
lslannites
The British are seeking to restore
the old pure Hebrew as the language
OF the Jewish provinces, care being
taken to make 1t the Hebrew of Bible
times and to avoid the German cor
ruptlou which produced Yiddish, and
! me spanish such as produced the pa
| tots OF the Jews in Spain. In the new
Palestine, under the administration of
General Allenby, 1t is quite out OF
fashion to use any language except
Hebrew. and schools are being set up
, to teach the ancient tongue.
Another plan is for the foundation
/ OF the University of Jerusalem. which
shall be the center of Jewish culture
and learning. A site has been agreed
upon tentatively by Jews In touch with
movements in Palestine. This site
| is about midway between the two
great synagogues OF the old city 1t
Is felt that these synaRoEues are large
enough 20 serve as principal places OF
Jewish worship and that 1t will not be
necessary at present to take up the
burden OF founding synagogue that
would represent Atty all Judaism. One
of the two existing synagogues is
Yohannen Ben-Zakkai, named after
I famous rabbi. 1t is more than 1900
Years old, and II seats about 1000 per-
Sons The synagogue Hurwah seats
8, 900.
Recently also in Jerusalem there was
founded. with the aid Of Zionist funds
a Jewish institute of arts and crafts
+, IL has done much to adjust one grave
Jews have gone to Jerusalem TO pray
and TO die. Finding not infrequently
! that the climate agreed with them.
they did not die and had to be kept
alive on charity The institute has
taught these patriarchs to weave rugs.
| and easy lucrative trade. The Pales-
! tine restoration fund has reached
| 100000. and at the present rate OF
subscription, II is expected that ST.
! 600 600 will have been obtained by
early In March, The British Jews also
are raising 100000 TO care for pres
emit institutions, especially schools.
and to pay the expenses of provis-
! ional government until a republic Is
/ set up.
| Although at war. the British gov
eminent found time the other day to
ask the Jews of London and New York
! IL the farmers of Palestine have seed
| for planting this spring, inttmatlng
| that Great Britain will supply tho
| seeds IL they are lacking.