The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-08-30
JEWS RE s I D RE
SCROLLS Of LAW
IT SYNAC0CUES
Interesting Ceremony Takes
Place Following British
Occupation OF Turk Cities.

JERUSALEM, Aug. z-(CorreSpohu'
ence of The Associated Press)-Re-
storation of the Parchment Scrolls OF
the Law to the various synagogues In
Tel Aviv and Jaffa was one of the in
teresting ceremonies which followed
the British occupation.
These scrolls of the Law OF Moses
which are all written by hand and are
preserved in magnificently ornament
ed cases, some of them In solid silver
are the most sacred and holy posses
sions of every Jewish Community. So
when Djemal Pasha in his hostility to
the Zionists, carried out the tyrannic-
al evacuation of the bulk of the Jew
ish population of Jaffa in April 1917,
the Jews carried with them these sa-
cred Torah into exile, lest they should
fall into the hands of the Turks.
These sacred Scrolls had been care
fully guarded by the Jews at Petach
Tikvah (Mulebbis) and were brought
back in solemn procession to Jaffa. A
triumphal arch was erected at the
northern confines Of Tel Aviv,. every
house was decorated with flowers and
bunting and the whole Of the Jewish
population turned out en- fete to meet
the return of their sacred POSSESSIONS.
Jews came not merely from Jaffa but
also from Richon.le-Zion and the 9th
er neighbOring colonies.
The young men and the girls of the
Maccabee Athletic Association dressed
in white Clothes with blue sashes and
ties maintained order and kept path
way clear for the procession through
the crowds. The procession was head
ed by the Australian Military Band
and the ceremony at the Triumphal
Arch was attended by officers repre-
senting the Military Governor and by
DR.. Weizmann and the members and
officers OF the Zionist Commission.
The Haham Bashi (Chief RabbD of
Jaffa mounted small dais near the
Triumphal Arch and delivered an elO-
quent Hebrew address in which he re-
counted the hardships of the evacua-
| tion. He thanked and invoked bless
ings upon the British Government and
the British Army and expressed the
hope that success would crown the ef.
forts of the Zionist Commissioners.
The Jews desired to regenerate and
build up Palestine, not merely for
their own benefit, but for that Of all
It's inhabitants whose friendship and
help he invited. The establishment
OF the Jewish people in their ancient
home in Palestine, he said, would be
for the good Of all humanity.
Then the Shofar or Rams horn was
blown and the scrolls were carried un.
der Ganopies by the Chief Rabbi, DR..
Weizmann and others to the various
synagogues to which they belonged.
In the afternoon the town of Tel
Aviv remained en- fete. There were
professions OF school children crowned
and decorated with flowers, the Yem
enites carrying small lambs and goats
on their shoulders and bearing palms
In their hands Children sold flowers
and confetti in the streets the pro
ceeds Of which go to fund started re
Gently by the Zionist teachers fol
translating into Hebrew and publish
ing Hebrew, English books and litera
ture In the evening the Maccabees
J gave an athletic demonstration In the
Public Gardens. and the proceedings
, closed at sunset with the singing o.
God Save the King and the Zionis
( National Anthem "Hatikvah," tht
r Song Of Hope.