The Denver Jewish news., 1920-03-03
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Survey of Israel's Position in
Remote Parts of the World
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country were exploited. contributing i'll
large measure to its prosperity. Jew
!sh colonists named Mosenthal, in
augtirated the wool, hide and mohair
industries there, now one of ITS most
profitable exports: the whale and fish
ing industry was established by the De
Pass brothers, and ostrich farming, an
important industry, was inaugurated
by Joel Meyers. The development of
the diamond and gold fields, ranked
among the richest in the world. was
promoted by the Barnatos and Eek
stems. There are today III the South
African Confederation some 10000
Jews, and they occupy an important po-
sition in industrial. commercial and
civic life. The chief influx of immi-
grafton followed the recrudescence of
Jewish persecution in Russia and ref
ugees floclied by thousands to Cape
Colony and the Transraal. While
they enjoyed full equality in the Brit
ish colonies, the same as any other
british, or aliens. they were under re-
Strictive laws in the Transvaal. when
of the Beers. The reaction in the
Transvaal set in after the influx of
Russian refugees. Laws We're passed
excluding Jews and Catholics, from the
DIately granted the Jews by the Beers,
hut Russian and Rumanian Jews were
excluded. These statutes met with
strong protests from the older Jewish
Dr. Joseph ii. Hertz. n mass meeting
CT protest was organized at Johannes
burg, at which place he was then the
rabbi. ON account of his activity in
this movement, DIR. Hertz WAS expelled
from the colony by the Boer Republic
in December. 1899. and the stubborn
Beers remained deaf to all protests.
The victory of Great Britain over the
Beers ended in the establishment of
the Confederation, under British SOW
ereignty. and this wiped from the
statute books all restrictive laws, both
with respect to Catholics and Jews
DIR. Hertz subsequently came to Lon
don. and is today the chief rabbi there.
In the Boer War, the Jews fought OH
both sides; $500 fought with the Brit
ish.
The Jews are distributed thruout the
South African Confederation the larg-
est community is att Johannesburg.
ut Capetown. There are numerous
communities also in Cape Province.
Orange Free State and Rhodesia The
communal life is represented in all
centres by synagogs, philanthropic so
cietics and institutional organizations.
There is Hebrew high school at
Johannesburg, and Hebrew public
school at Capetown. In 1912 there
was organized at Johannesburg the
South African Jewish Board of Dep
mites. to watch over and take action
On all matters affecting the welfare of
the Jews in South Africa and to OBJ
serve legislative enactments:" \
branch was also organized at Cape
town. There was some irritation
among the Jews over the immigration
laws which made it compulsory for
an immigrant to be able ITO read and
write in the characters of ii European
language This clause was so con
strucd that immigrants from the Near
East who We're familiar only with Yid.
dish could he excluded by strict in.
depreciation of the act. In consequence
of pressure by Jewish influences. this
recently was cured by provision that
1iddish be specifically MENTIONED as ii
language within the meaning of that
| act. This wiped out the last remain
ing civil disability.
The Jews of South Africa have at
tanned prominence in political. us well
as in industrial and commercial
spheres. Among these who early be-
came prominent in the Colony was
Simon jacobs: he was attorney gen.
eral of Cape Colony and Justice of
the Supreme Court. Samuel Solomon,
Who died in 1892. was offered the
Premiership; another member of the
family was Attorney General of the
'rransvaal Today. there are many
who are conspicuous III positions of
trust and high responsibility. Among
these should be mentioned Hon. NJ.
4 La, al. I. = r