Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1919-10-30
PUREST FLOODED
jews ARE ExILES
of the Caucasus Who
Have Kept Free From Gentle
kdmixture.
ScORl TIE PLAINS PEOPLE
Their Language and Many Of Their
Customs Are ,Peculiar-Date and
Circumstances Of Settlement IN
That Region Unknown.


and remnants of the Jewish people,
none is less known to the world at
large. and certainly none presents
more striking contrast 10 the common
conception of the modern children of
Israel than the Jewish Highlanders OF
the eastern Caucasus. Yet there are
probably none in all the world who
have kept the Jewish blood more pure
and free from gentle admiXture, nor
any who have more faithfully pre-
! served the traditions, beliefs and Gus
toms of the times before the exile.
Indeed, they hold themselves quite
/ aloof from the other Jews of the Cau-
casus region, refusing to intermarry
with them, to worship with them, or
| even to have social or commercial in
I tercourSe with them beyond the limits
| OF the harest necessity. No Scottish
| Highlander ever scorned the Lowlander
one-half so much as these Highland
err Jews scorn their ldnsmen of the
| plains and of the urban ghetto.
Traditions Fail to Explain.
their settlement in the Caucasus high
lands are unknown even in their own
traditions but it is certain that they
| have been there for nearly a thousand
| years In that time their physical
| characteristics have been materially
modified by their environment and
mode OF life. With characteristic Jew
ish faces and complexion, they have
tall, Stalwart, muscular bodies, re-
sembling the best of the Hill men of
India, or some of the giant Highland
erS Of Scotland. Their l.fe is of course
purely rural, since they have no con-
siderable towns, and they devote them
selves to agriculture, and the growing
of grapes and tobacco. From the
grapes they make both wine and
brandy, and of these beverages they
are heavy drinkers. Indeed they have
the unenviable reputation Of being the
hardest drinkers in all that part of the
world-whch might easily he since
the Mohammedan tribes around them
are almost entirely total abstaiuers.
However, drunkenness is little known
among them, if at all.
They are also great fighters That
is generally a Characteristic of noun
taincers, and in these highland Jews
it is highly developed, They always
90 armed as do the ALontcucgrinS, and
are never backward in using their
weapons for defense. They do not,
however, share in any Of the blood
feuds of the CircaSsian tribeSmcu, nor
do they join in their raids and quar-
rels.
Peculiar Language.
Their language is neither Hebrew
nor that Of the country in which they
live, but rather what philologists term
Psrsi-Tartar, or a mingling of old Per
sian and Tartar. From this circum-
stance it is inferred that their ances-
tors went TO the Caucasus from Persia
in the days Of Cyrus the Great or
Darius. Perhaps they were fugitives
| from Persian captivity; or else they
preferred going TO the Caucasus
rather than back to Palestine. There Is
indeed one ancient legend which tells
that they wandered northwest i'm quest
of Mount Ararat and the remains of
| Noahs ark
The patriarchal mode of life pre-
walls among them. When a son mar
ries he does not establish a home of
his own. He simply builds a wing on
his fathers house and lives in it. IN
| this fashion there are often three or
four generations living in a single
| house, which consists Of single story
spread over a large area of ground
Each house has its own allotment OF
land, comprising grain field, tobacco
field, vegetable garden and vineyard
and all are kept in a high state Of cul-
tivation, though with primitive meth
DDS. Each garden Is inclosed within
a wall of rubble and clay about six
feet high.
These highland Jews have no rabbits
and no religious head They have no
synagogues and no liturgy. They have
scroll of the law, but 1t is used only
for reference. They observe the Sab
bath in The stricteSt Mosaic fashion.
doing no work and cooking no food. an
food requiring ii being cooked on The
preceding day. They keep the Pass
over, not by eating uuleavened bread.
because all their bread is always I'M
leavened. but by eating an evening
meal IN common In the open air. The
Feast OF rahernacles is similarly Oh.
served, and they have a special cere.
mony Of their own at each new moon.
Girls must always be betrothed for
six months before marriage. ana the
bridegroom instead of receiving
dowry with his bride. must nav her
father a price for her. This is USUALLY
paid for IN sheep, cattle or horses. but
always in eiEhteens or some multIple
thereof. The price may be is sheen
or 80 head of cattle, or If the bride
groom is rich it may be - horses. but
for some reason, the origin Of which
Is lost in antiquity. the number must
always be eighteen or multiple a,
eighteen. There is no religious MAJ
riage ceremony. but a civil contract 4,
written and signed
When ehag IS born It IS laid uI1r |