The Denver Jewish news., 1925-09-17

cles with skcpticism and suspicion.
has been in force so short time that
no estimate of its successor failure
can yet be made.
We come now to the lowest stage
of the Jewish purgatory-Russia.
This is the only land in which Jews
suffer from religious persecution.
Bolsheyik theory is opposed to any
thing that smacks of nationalism.
and the Soviets, therefore, suppress
Zionism and the Hebrew language.
At the same time, Jewish commun-
lists do everything in their power to
destroy Judaism as religion. They
instigate the confscation of syna-
gogues which are turned into work
mems clubs or are used for other sec
ular purposes. Last fall, during the
high holydays, many Jews of Kiev
were compelled to worship in the
open air. Jewish communist also
hold anti religious demonstrations
and carnivals on Yom Kippur in va
rious cities.
As Soviet law prohibits the teach
ing Of religion to children, clandes-
tine schools have sprung up. But Sc
we're punishment awaits those who
are discovered to be conducting
them. Teachers are arrested and i'm
prisoned, and one rabbi was exiled
for conducting secret Yeshibah
Seminary.
Added to these spiritual sufferings
is the precarious economic condition
of the bulk of Russia's Jews. Only
three categories of people can exist
in Russia today-governmen or
quasi governmental employees, fac
tory workers, and peasants. In the
various upheavals that have shaken
Russia to its foundations, the agri-
cultural worker has always come out
on top. Besides, only the most naive
can still hold the view that the pres
ent regime is on the eve of over
throw-its Expectation of life" in
creases annually, so that for an in
definite time to come Russia will be
po place for the small trader or petty
merchant. Many Jews have found,
and more will find, their way into in
dustry, but this branch of state
housekeeping was never highly devel-
oped in Russia. Agriculture appears
to be the one way out for the jew,
and the Soviet government appears
to be sincerely trying to help him
economically, if it is destroying him
spiritually, and there is a distinct
movement of Jews toward the land.
This has been investigated and
probed by representatives Of the
American-Jewish Joint Distribution
committee, who have found it worthy
of the encouragement and the sup
port of Jews in other countries, and
American Jews are now discussing
various phases of this problem.
Anxious to help their Russian breth-
rem, they are yet skeptical as to the
permanence of such results as may
be achieved. The fact that the dc
facto government has not been rec
ognized by the United States, and
that it is surpressing the Jewish re-
ligion and culture, are the two chief
stumbling blocks in the way of an
agreement among American Jews.
There are also that wing Of the Zion
lists who hold that the Russian colon
ization scheme is waste of effort,
and that all such settlements should
be made in Palestine. But the recent
Zionist Congress took no position in
this question.
Palestine
The past year has shown, we be-
lieve, that in the rebuilding Of q ma
tional home for Jews in Palestine,
little tangible help is to be expected
from the Mandatory Power. Someone
has aptly dubbed Great Britain's at
titude benevolent neutrality Brit
ish statesmen have not been niggard-
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