The Denver Jewish news., 1923-04-04

selves would be ben
Gifted by the Zionist movement. But
now Il great change has been wrought
among our people, ns they look upon
Palestine as II semi-philanthropic insti
tute or as some missionary work This
feeling should not be allowed to pre-
vail. The Jews of America, Jews
understand the nature of the stake
which they have in the Zionist deal.
The Jewish people. during all its his
tory, have been the object of oppres-
sion. and the outside world has con-
tinually desired its destruction or dis
appearance. Until this present age the
pressure has been unavailing but that
this will always be so is by no means
certain.
Persecution. oppression, torture will
not make the Jew disappear from this
earth, but the danger does not lie in
those means. The danger is in the
assimilation of the Jews and in this
country. particularly, is assimilation
great. Our (so-called) reformed Jews
will ask. well. suppose the Jewish
people do disappear in the process of
time, what harm is thcre!" These
Jews do not themselves understand
what they are facing. The disappear
ancc of the Jewish people means long
enstrangcment between generation and
generation. Every successive step of
a new generation toward assimilation
is agony TO the old generation. As
similation is peaceful only from the
outside. The people which does the as
similating must pass through all the
pangs of dissolution.
Palestine. II Jewish Palestine. is alb
solutcly necessary. 1t will prove the
decisive sustaining force in Jewish life
throughout the world.
Among the first necessities of Pal
cstine is II Hebrew University. Such
n university. built up with bianess of
vision which is already being brought
to it. shall become world asset There
are many colleges which attract them
selves to the world who have no raciul
Or traditional interest in them and no
mans education is quite complete I'M
less he has takcn n complete course mt
oxford. Yale. etc. How much more
appealing will he u Hebrew Uni
vcrsity of high standing to the Jew
,ish youth of the world The time
shall soon come when u young jew
shall not he considered completely
educated unless he has passed sew
crnl years at the Hebrew University
of Jerusalem. This is only one phase
Of Jewish point of interest in Pal
cstinc, other instances could be given.
But not this sustaining force alone
plays IA role for Jews who will not
go to Palestine. The fact cahnot be
told too often that Jewish honor is
closely implicated in the upbuilding of
II Jewish Palestine. 1t cannot he help
ed now. One might say that the Jews
for two thousand years have put up
n bluff'' that they love Palestine and
the bluff has now been called. They
can make good, or forfeit their reputa-
tion.
Nor can the Jew console himself that
he is immune from all dangers. He
will have to resist temptation after
temptation and it will confront him in
the most unexpected places. 1t will
speak to him from universities that
plan restrictions for Jews, it will speak
to him from his Gentle neighbors, from
his business associates, from his jani-
tor
wish the American Jcwry would
consider all these things and realize
that they must help build up Illcs-
tine as much for themselves and their
own postcrity as for the sake of Il
Jewish Palestine.