The Denver Jewish news., 1924-11-20

consists Of individuals who know some
thing about agriculture, who had op-
Grated small gardens of their own. rent
ing land adjacent to the towns from
the peasants. But peasants now find 1t
more profitable to cultivate the land
than 10 rent IL. And those who former
ly worked rented land. have found 1t
both desirable and necessary to give
their energies TO something that may
he permanent stable possession. II
is pcculriarly interesting TOO, that in
cludcd among the colonists are rabbis,
rnbbinlcal students, cantors and 9TH
ers who had to do with the religious
life Of the community. OF this stock
then came the "forty-niners." Unlike
the sturdy American pioneers, coming
Of stout-hearted farming stock, for the
OF the ghetto, bled by persecution, war
famine and disease. Yet they are glad
to live close TO nature without any
form Of shelter until winter comes
with cold and wind and rain, that
steps through the dugouts that they
build for themselves. They have no
tools at the beginning, and must rent
these Of the peasants, who turn prof
iteers.
But as soon as community is seen
to be sincere and determined, the Ort
procures tools for it, sends agricultural
instructors, and gives practical and
educational aid. Sometimes n colony
does not outlast its first summer, the
combination of bad crops and poor
morale having been too disastrous
The land on which these new col
onies are founded principally in
southern Russia, near Odessa) belong
ed to large landowners, and for the
last nine years has been practically un-
used. Before rye, corn, wheat and
garden truck can be planted. weeds and
wild grass must he extripated, and land
fertilized. The land is equally divided
and each one tills his own portion,
selling the cops TO the government or
co-operatives. IT, however, it is desir-
ed to experiment with something new,
a common plot is set aside. The com
munal spirit grows slowly, for 1t is
difficult to supplant the instinct for In
dividual striving and possession that
was fostercd in cities.
The Ort supplies tools, small lmple-
mmts first. Cat normal costs. for its
funds are exceedingly limitedD, and
then larger machinery, on one to three
year loans Some families bring horses
with them. Others must he helped TO
buy first horses for ploughing, and
then cows. Until they have begun to
produce the necessities of life them
selves, the colonists must buy food
from neighboring villages.
After the first six months or there
abOuts, the need for homes becomes
paramount. Here again the Ort is call
ed upon to help to raise funds and TO
erect buildings But here too fire.
quCntly. the colonists find their great
est obstacle, for the Ort's funds are
limited, and too often its inability to
supply the needed funds is misinter-
pretcd as unwillingness. In fact. there
are two thousand applications on file
at the Ort's offices for aid in ccloni-
, zation. and thus far it has been found
possible TO aid only five hundred.
! But wherever the covered wagon has
/ halted, and its human freight has turn
ed to the new task, the folksongs of n
rcgenerated people ring clear from
strong, upturned. bronze young throats,
and the mourning chants of people in
exile have been forgotten. The
narrowchested shopkeeper, the Tai
mudic student with his ''payoth' and
his "capote," the bearded rabbi, all
stand erect and proud, giving thanks
for the sunshine, the rain, the treasures
of the earth, and the Ort.