The Denver Jewish news., 1924-01-17
JUDGE STRAHL ENGAGES IN
PRACTICAL WORK IN PAL
ESTTNE DEVELOPMENT
BY JOSEPH KAY

BY JOSEPH KAY
The debonair, forceful- looking,
pleasant-voioed jurist held at arms
length copy of the current number
of the "Young Judean," and looked at
the cover in surprised admiration. !
"Three colorsi' he exclaimed. !.
"Well, that's progress, indeed! A bit
crudely drawn" he commented fur
ther, eyeing the wickedly executed
copy Of Llian's conception Of Solo
mon, 'sbut very attractive"
He fingered through the pages with
interest, studying the worldmanlike
makeup of the sprightly new edition
of what had once been a less attrac-
tive publication, and stopped at the
picture depicting the modern Samson,
Breithart, taking out his first citizen
ship papers, surrounded by group Of
officials.
"Why," he said, pointing to one Of
fetal, "there's Mike Kelly, who used
to call me MacStrawl. must send
him the clipping"
He thereupon tore out the page and
delightedly. scrubbed on it: "Discov-
cred by MacStrawl!" preparatory to
mailing it to man who had once been
of some service to him.
looked at this cheerful, jollying
man and could not help comparing
him with the robed, grim-faced judge
who sat on his throne in the court
room and threw, like an epithet, the
word "iiandiord! at some abashed,
avaricious-featuled man who had
hailed tenant into court in dis
possess proceedingabecause he could
not pay fifty per cent increase. Then
he was Judge Strahl, the man whose
name was terror to pro4iteering
landlords and hope and sign of ref
uge to the thousands Of people under
his legal jurisdiction, suffering under
the notorious housing conditions in
New York.
And this brought me to the business
in hand, which was to obtain from the
Judge statement regarding the new
Jewish insurance company in Pales-
tine, sponsored by the Judea Indus
trial Corporation, of which he. is the
newly elected president.
4 This venture can be. rightly re
garded as the first important step or
the peoples side, in making Palestine
a Jewish homeland. It is the first
large business venture in the Holy
land established entirely by Jews and
4 Jewish capital, and every business en-.
terprise established in Palestine
means for the future of the land thar
half dozen Embarrassing campaigns
and a national chorus of nogen-dovid
4 waving. Sentiment cannot build up o
country, but industry and enterprise
will. That is why the Importance o.
the Judea Insurance company cannot
be over-estimated. The organization
is chartered by the government Of
Palestine; its headquarters are, ap.
propriately, in Jerusalem, though
likely most of its business will be
transacted from q more important
4 business center, like Jaffa.
i "The Keren Hayesod," began Judge
Strahl, becoming at once the judgf
again, "spent five million dollars in
4 Palestine for communal improve.
ments. That is very well. Spiritual
consideration for Palestine is essen
tial. But communal betterment can.
not develope the country. The devel-
opment that follows on the creation
of an enterprise like the Judea Insur-
ance company is visible. 1t is con-
spicuous, it attracts attention, it pro-
vides employment, it brings in capital
which may be diverted also to help
other new business.
4 "This insurance company is the first
native organization of its kind in Pal
estine. 1t is fitting of course, that it
should have been established by Jews,
and more fitting, still, that American
Jews should have taken the initiative.
American Jews are the biggest policy
holders, in proportion to population,
in the United States. Insurance edu-
cation has been more readily assimi-
lated by the Jew in America than by
anyone else. Today, there is hardly
a Jew in the country who does not
carry a policy of one kind OF another.
Eve hope for the same conditions to
prevail eventually in Palestine, not
only with the Jews there, but with the
other elements of the country's popu-
lations. The policy which is offered
by this company gives the same policy
that standard American Life Insur-
! ance companies offer, with the same
advantages, the same security and the