The Denver Jewish news., 1925-10-01
The Yabloner Rebbi
Interview With the Leader the Chass Pioneers Have
Braved Untold Hardships TO Establish a Colony Palestine
Ey ISRAEL GOLDBERG

Did We find II dinicult7' The Yah
loner repeated my question. There
was no talk, no thought of difficulties
The men approached their labor with
song and rejoicing. Malurio? Yes
there were a number OF malaria cases,
but now the disease has been entirely
stamped out"
Someone intrudcs and calls the Rebbi
out. And one of his Chassidim, with
awe In his voice, tells now the Rcbbl
himself slept In the open together with
the other men, when all the existing
barracks were necessary for the women
and children; how he himself worked
in the marshes beside the others, set
ting them an example Of zeal and joy
In labor. And how his frail body with
stood 1t can only be explained by the
special grace OF Providence. The
power he exercises over his people Is
easily explained: he is the first among
them because he is the first to suffer.
The Arabs and the Chassidim
The Rebb returns The Chassidim
rise and remain standing until he has
sat down and resumed the mellow flow
of his language. They are elderly men,
these Chassldim, and in years he is II
mere youngster beside them. But as
you look at his calm. benignant face, at
the mildness and wisdom of his eyes, it
comes over you that he Is not young,
that he is very old. old with the wis
dom and suiIerings of hundreds of
generations. Youth and age mean
nothing without the connotation of wis
dom and pain.
The Yabloner then talked of the
Arabs. There are many in the neigh
borhood of Nanchalat Naakov, but the
relations between them and the Chas-
sidim are those of hearty friendship"
He recounts an incident. ''A wedding
was celebrated in IA .ncighboring Arab
village to which we were invited. We
went and were treated with magnificent
hospitality. There was dancing around
n great bonfire and blessings were
showercd upon us all
The Rebbi then told of his relations
with the neighboring Jewish settle
ments. 1t becomes clear that it is not
mere friendship which exists between
these Chassidim and the bold icono-
clasts of the KvutZoth, but love and
genuine tenderness. The Chaluzim
We're overjoyed Mt the coming of the
Chnsssidim in whom they recognized
brothers Of the same faith, the faith of
labor. For in Palestine men do not
labor In order TO earn livelihood.
They labor in order TO be true to their
faith. Their labor is worship.
This is what l tell my people" says
the Rebbi. The moment ! see that
the result of my work amcng you is
merely to provide you witli n livelihood,
I shall leave you. My work is to pro-
vide you with a new spirit!'
Il have sometimes been asked II 1t
would he possible for my people TO do
in some other land what we are doing
in Palestine. The question is 500
wild, l would say, that l don't know
how TO answer ii. How could we do
it? What spirit would move us? God
forbid ~
The Faith of Judaism
Thus the Rebbi is led to discourse on
the deeper aims and impulses which
undcrlie his mission. They concern the
basic principle of Judaism. which is
the principle of progress. which makes
it inevitable for Judaism to absorb new
ideas, to rcfashion them in its own
spirit, to give expression to them
through the Jewish people and for the
good of all men The faith of labor Is
part of the Jewish faith, but only y
part. In Palestine Judaism is now Civ.
ing expression to this faith, and this
expression will cnlighten and bautify