The Denver Jewish news., 1919-03-12
NAHUM SOKOLOW.
One of Israel's Important Literators

Sokolow was already known for his
learning. for that is the quality which
is his most marked characteristic. No
matter what the subject, whether it
he the most cphemcral of current poll
teal topics or the discussions between
two Rabbis of two thousand years ago
on an abStruse question of legal for
mality. Mr. Sokolow is an courant. His
knowledge is universal, almost pheno-
menal. Jews say of such II man. He
has the head Of IA Gaon.'
Porn at Nishograd in Russian Pol
and OH January the 10Th. 1859, Il
member Of n family renowned for its
Jewish learning. Nahum Sokolow was
put TO study the Torah and the Tai
mud from the very tcndercst age.
What this meaus is not perhaps suf-
ficiently well known to Jews of West
crn Europe. Among the Jews of Pol
and there is a long tradition of love
Of and devotion To learning such rs no
other people in the world can show.
The sole aim in life. until II young man
marries, and often enough for five or
ten years after marriage, is to carry
out literally the prcccpt. "Thou shalt
mediate upon them by day and by
night" There are no examinations TO
scrape thru in order to pass muster
aS man of parts: learning is drunk
deeply and with the genuine thirst of
the student. II was the special good
fortune Of the young Nahum Soiolow
that he was permitted to study. in ad-
dition to the Talmuh, the works of
later Jewish scholars, the medieval
Jewish philosophers whose writings
embraced the philosophic theories of
their time, and nco-Hcbrew literature.
tile revival of which was then just
winning recognition. His remarkable
rcccptivity. trained by Talmudic stun
les. allied with his other great quail
ablcd him to know practically all that
was to he known of Hebrew literature
up to his own time. As Il diversion
he also acquired the knowledge of
hioitih iahS"r'''' i"N''N'''~ ''''s'''''
and French: others were, of course.
known to him from daily use.
Married at eighteen, he continued
bis studies until the age of twenty
three. when. having decided not to be-
come a Rabbi. calling for which his
Jewish learning amply qualified him.
he driftcd into Hebrew journalism by
assisting Slonimski in the editing of
HaZcfira first II weekly and subsc-
qucntly the most important Hebrew
daily newspaper in the world. From
1856, when he became its sole editor
and proprietor, until the outbreak OF
the war. with few breaks. Sokolow was
at the centre of Hebrew journalism.
Thru Hazcfira Sokolow had his hand,
as it were. on the pulse of Jewry.
with their many sufferings
and rejoicing with them on their all
too. rare occasions for rejoicing, as
similating and reflecting their UNI
Uuenchable optimism and their inimit-
able h,imour. This twenty years rdl-
torShip gave Sokolow an unrl'allcd
knowledge of Jewish affairs and there
is in fact no greater authority on any
Jewish question. 1t follows naturally
that when the Jewish question was at
tackled in n radical way by Herzl'
thru the Zionist Organization, Sok0-
lows knowledge. pen and gift of clo-
uuence were placed without reserve at
Herzl's disposal. Gradually the claims
of Zionism absorbed more and mere
of his time. Whenever a trusted ana
competent emissary was needed for All
important diplomatic mission or for a
propagandist tour to stir the im!giha-
ton of Jews in Western Europe and
America, Sokolow was marked out.
From 1907 he has been in the inn'osf
councils of the Movement, and from
1911 he has been one of the six mem
bers of the Smaller Executive com
mittee elected by Congress 70 steer the
Zionist movement along the difftcult
course which is leading to the ulti-
mate goal.
At the end of the year 1911 Mr..
Sokolow, together with the late DIR.
Tchlenow, came to London, Which has
been his headquarters ever since. and
the remarkable political successes
achieved since that date by him and
DR.. Weizmann, successes which nave
finally won for the Movement the rec
ognition it deserved aS the only pos
sible solution of the Jewish problem
are known to all.
Mr.. SOkOlow is the embodiment OF
brew writer is not less than his fame
as Hebrew publicst. He is the au-
thor of half-a- dozen works in HebraN