The Denver Jewish news., 1923-03-21
tJ.wish Correspondence Bureau.

four years which We're among the most
cventful in the history of that little
land of mOmentous happenings. and
having occupied II position of promin-
cnce in its professional life. DIR. 1sracl
!. Biskind. the noted surgeon, whose
home had been in Cleveland. Ohio. has
mn absorbing story to tell of the colossal
changes which Palestine has undergone
during the period from 1918 TO 1922.
| DIR. Biskind did surgical work in Pal
cstine during these years and is now
the Consulting Surgeon TO the Govern
ment of Palestine. He is also private
physician 10 the High Commissioner
Sir Herbert Samuel. and his family.
Rumor has it that it was he who tided
the High Commissioner over his recent
dangerous illness and preserved n great
Jewish and British statesman for II
great Jewish historic task.
A Land Of IndescribabIe Beauty
In his answers to every question ask
ed by the interviewer. Dr. Biskind in
evitnbly referred to the sheer beauty
of Palestine which. he said. he could
find no words adequately to describe
Il have never seen n photograph
which does Justice to the beauty of
Palestine. wish ! were n poet so that
I could give you description of Emck
Jezrcel. When | arrived In 1918 the
stamp of war lny on everything Houses
were without doors and windows. Trees
Ind been cut down The roads were
| very bad and 1t took me three days
to make the trip from Jerusalem to
Tiberins with Ford truck. But III
never forget my first impression OF the
wonderful beauty OF the country, IT
is impossible TO convey 1t in more
words. The Sea of Kinnereth or Cali
lee Is by far the most wonderful sight.
AS you travel you see mountains, bare.
nothing but rock, with swamps in the
lowlands and here and there a Arab
village consisting of n few mud huts
and a few olive trees. When You come
to n little Jewish colony. however. there
is n remarkable change. You see green
things growing. modern cultivation. peo-
pie hard Mt work. This is true of nll
the Jewish National Fund colonies. like
Einnereth. Dugnnia and Merchavinh.
This il also true of the Julnenn col
onies like Petach Tickvah. and Itishon-
lle-ZiOn. The harder work. however. is
done in the colonies of Galilec. The
.Jutlaean colonies did not suffer ms much
as the others during the war. because
there were number of Germans in
these colonies and they were protect
ed by the Turks.
American Jews Greatly Needed
In 1919 couldn't find n house for
my family so we scattered all over the
country. When going from Jerusalem
| to .Taffn. it took me six hours to make
the descent of about 5000 feet. All the
colonies, all the houses were out of re-
pair.
As for now. I do not exagscrnte
when l say that our railroad coaches
in Palestine are more beautiful than
your Pullman cars. They are made in
England covered with leather instead
of plush so as not to absorb the dust.
1.-THE railroads may not be as fast as
yours but then we do not have as
many accidents. vt took us fourteen
hours to travel by train over the desert
which took our ancestors forty years.
1t was n train with beautiful sleepers
and dining accommodations. And it
takes twelve hours to travel by auto
mobile from Jaffa to Safed. the whole
length of the country, on fine road
built by the ChaluZim. The present of
the 10000 ChnluZim who came in dur
ing the past few years is very much
in evidence. believe that there should
he u larger influx of Jews from Amer
lea. | believe that they are just ms
badly needed in Palestine as are the
Chaluzim.
Are you satisfied with the progress
Jews have made in Palestine?" DR.
Bisllind was asked.
Il am not" he answered. We have
only ~ Gf the land OF Palestine anu
?. AS for our small numbers. we have
no right to blame the High Commits
sioner or the British Government foi
checking immigration. What would W.
, have done if instead of 1000 Chaiuzin
month, 5000 had come in? Ther,
would have been no employment fol
D them and many of them would hav,
starved.