The Denver Jewish news., 1924-05-08
From the Notebook of a
Palestine Pilgrim
By EVA LEON

NNOtts MISS Leon WuO ls
social worker, is now visiting Palestine as
representative of the keren Hayesod
Women's League with n view to adapt
ing the work of the League to actual con-
dltions.)
Haifa makes favorable impression.
When / was here ten years ago, Haifa
was quiet, dirty little city with only
about two hundred Jewish people. To-
day 1t is u city full of animation, with
n population of eight thousand Jews.
1t has grown immensely. There are
automobiles and carriages on prac-
tically all the roads, and now and then
the train of camels, rs of old. There
is also variety of stores and shops.
Newspaper stands are to be seen on the
street corners; the policemen are dress
ed in clean, tidy uniforms, and one
sees Chalutzim and Chalutzoth where
ever one goes Hebrew is spoken
throughout the city by the Jews, pac-
tically all store signs are written In
the three languages, English, Hebrew
and Arabic.
AOuH 1918 anu
/ was told that ship with tourists
and few Chalutzim was to arrive on
Wednesday, March 8. Twas anxious
to 90 on board and see the Chalutzim
on their arrival, but permission to
board the ship is seldom granted to a
stranger. / was introduced to the Di-
rector of the Health Department; we
spoke Arabic. Suffice it to say that
not only did he give me the desired
permission. but he invited me to meet
the ship in his rowboat, with the quar-
antine doctor, who Is a Jew, the son
of Rabbi Franko OF Hebron, an old
acquaintance of mine.
A representative of the keren
Hayesod boards all vessels bringing
Jews to Palestine, with the exception
of ships bringing tourists. The Zion
list Organization has made arrange
ments with the Roumanian Company
concerning the transportation of immi-
grants from Europe to Palestine. Previ-
Gus to this tile Lloyd Triestine Com
pany charged a very large sum of
money for steamer tickets. The S. S.
Roumania sails from Galatz, Con-
stanza, and Constantinople, and reaches
Haifa in five days. On the Roumania
the passengers are treated very hu-
namely. They receive hot water, tea,
and can even obtain bath on board
ship. They bring with them their own
food.
There were about two hundred pas
sengers, most of them tourists travel
ling second and third class, who were
coming to visit Palestine ItZchok
came to see his old mother; Rothstein,
Rosenberg, Blatner, Feigenstock, Jacob
Lubin, and many others came for the
privilege of seeing the Holy Land.
Among the passengers were five Chal-
utzim After the examination of the
passports, we We're ready to land. The
passengers embarked in large row
boat, with their bundles and valises.
One hundred and fifty more remained
on the ship, bound for Jaffa. They
began to sing the Hatikvah. The new
comers in the rowboat Joined in the
melody. 1t was a most beautiful and
impressive picture, long TO be remem-
bcred.
On reaching land again, the Keren
Hayesod representative assists the in
dividuals with their baggage through
the customs, and with their quarantine
papers. They help each one to find
quarters, either in hotel or boarding
house, according to their means They
also purchase railroad tickets for these
who wish TO so further They take
complete charge of the Chalutzim, aid
ing them in every necessary and pos
sible way. Have you any idea how
much all this means to the stranger
setting foot in a new land, to have
protector and Il helper? If the Zion
lists have succeeded in doing this,
among other essential things. we must
say Dayenu!
l spoke to some of the newcomers.
One of the Chalutzoth, Miriam Shapiro.
answered very cleverly all the ques-
tions that We're put to her by the au-
thorities. She is twcnty-three years
old, speaks Hebrew perfectly, is strong
and healthy, Il Russian by birth. A
year ago she went to ROumania, where
she worked in the house of a wealthy
jew as housekeeper and governess,
and earned enough to pay her passage
to Palestine. After one day in Haifa,
the Zionist Organization sent her to a
school of farming and housekeeping.
where she will act as assistant to the
directress. 1 will visit the school and
write you more about it.
The Most Beautiful Building