Intermountain Jewish news., 1926-04-01
By LEON q. DAVIS
Copyright 1920 by Seven Arts Feature
~ynulrut4

l hfE'A uncovered hN inc WI NNhMN iNAlAaN
writer, Leon u. Davis. tie tells NJ the ro-
mantle career uf MHrrnrp who He'd the
! spanish luqui-itl0n later iu achieve power
ind wealth to t.vrngr thr lhlustic" dealt
10 his people. OF purtiulhr Interest at the
present time ls Mr. Davis account OF Duke
Nusfs attempt to establish Jewish Cul
1ny Ia Palestine. His great srhetnr Tor
Jewish colonization reached unusual prO.
portions and the founding " d lutEe.slyrd
grttlTment was Interrupted only bV hls
death THE EDITOR.
When JOac Miguez. the wealthy
Marrnno banker, decided In l5i0 to
leave the Netherlands and settle in
some country where he could openly
profess his Judaism and free himself
from the obnoxious hypocrisy cntailed
in the parctice of pseudo-Judaism, he
could have had little idea Of the thrill.
ing and glorious future which awaited
him. Miguez, or to give him his rea!
name, Joseph Nasi, intended to jour
ney to Constantinople, where he had
heard that Jews were fairly treated
and allowed to follow their faith I'M
molested. But travel ia those days
was both difficult and dangerous, and
when he had got as far rs Venice,
misfortunes which befell his Aunt
Garcia. with whom he was travelling
resulted in the Imprisonment Of the
latter. Despairing of helping her
without assistance, Joseph proceeded
alone to the Turkish capital.
With view to obtaining his aunt's
release, Joseph obtained through the
introduction of the Jewish court ply.
sician an interview with Sulaiman,
Sultan Of Turkey. Sulaiman was i'm
mcdialely impressed with the charm
ing personality of the young jew and
there sprang up friendship which
was to have the most profound influ-
ence on Joseph's career.
When Joseph discovered the friend
ly attitude Of the Sultan to the jew
ish people, he broached scheme
which had long been maturing in his
mind; project for extensive Jewish
colonization under the protection Of Il
friendly power. He was pretty
shrewd Judge of character and ac-
cordingly based his arguments upon
the great commercial advantages
which would accrue to the Turkish
government from the sponsoring of
such u scheme.
For while nothing was done in
the matter, although as far us Jo-
seph's personal request was concerned
the Sultan succeeded after protracted
negotiations in obtaining the release
of his Aunt Garcia from the Venetian
government. At that time there was
open strife between the Sultan's two
sons as to who should inherit the
Turkish throne. The Sultan himself
refrained from interference and
avoided taking either side. Joseph
cspouscd the cause of the older brother
Salim, and did his best to induce the
Sultan to give definite decision in
his favor.
At last the two parties came to
OptH "dildit. JOscpll "oihtb haih
for his candidate, and, as luck would
have it, Salim succeeded in defeating
and utterly routing his brothers
troops in pitched battle. The result
was of great value to Joseph, who
was made by Salim one of his espe
cial guards of honor. 1t transpired
also that the old Sultan Ind in reality
favored Salim's succession, although
unwilling to commit himself, and in
recognition of Joseph's services Great
ed him Governor of the Tiberias dis
trict of Palestine.
Here was an opportunity for Joseph
to put into practice his great scheme
for Jewish colonization. His first pre-
caution was to repair and reconstruct
the fortifications of Tiberias itself.
His next move was to establish indus
tries so that the colonies might be
based on firm commercial standing.
With this in view, he set about in
PRODUCING the cultivation of the null
berry tree, thinking that climatically
and geographically the colony should
be well suited for the silk-industry.
AS regards attracting colonists, the
time was particularly propitious, The
Inquisition in Spain and Portugal, in
Italy and the Spanish Netherlands,
was being pursued relentlessly. The
occupant of the Holy See was ruth
less Jew-hater, so that the unfortu-
I nate Isrnelites in the Papal States
were easily attracted by the prospects
of return to Eretz Israel. There
was, however, the difficulty of trans
port. Quite apart from the navies of
the various South European sea pow
ers, who practiced piracy under the
guise of blockade, the Mediterranean
was infested with privateers, so that
journey to the Holy Land was in all
respects a risky business.
| ,,. ,l;n1,aI OF T.,pic h