REBUILDING A NATION

Dominion, Volume 20, Issue 255, 27 July 1927, Page 5

REBUILDING A NATION

THE BACK-TO-PALESTINE MOVEMENT BRIGHT HOPES FOR THE FUTURE “If wo come back to Palestine fo-day after nineteen buudrea years of endless misery, torture, and almost insuperable difficulties, then, I think, we shall give again to the world something which will be looked upon as a new Bible, a new truth, a new conception of morality; for the Temple of Jerusalem in the days to come will be the temple of all mankind.” These views were expressed by Dr. A. Goldstein, Zionist envoy, who was the chief speaker and guest at ths Rotary Club luncheon yesterday. ' , In introducing the speaker, Mr. D. A. Ewen said that their distinguished guest was recognised throughout the world as the leader of the Zionist movement in Palestine. Dr. Goldstein dealt with the subject of Jewish culture, which ho described as the whole intellectual and spiritual expression of tho Jewish people, its literature of all ages, its history in tho past, and its hopes in tho future. Tho two basic foundations of that culture wore tho Biblo and the Hebrew language. Tho first was .tho depositing of its profounded conceptions and its fundamental teachings, tho other tho permanent instrument of its thought.. He .thought it was ono of the most beautiful manifestations of tho brotherhood of mankind, and of the better spirit prevailing now among tho better elements of tho nations, that not only Jews, but many thousands of noblespirited non-Jows all over tho world, were watching with deep and sincere sympathy tho work now being done in connection with, tho Zionist movement in Palestine. Redeeming an Ancient Land. Through the centuries Palestine had been a deserted country. Visitors to that ancient city to-day would see tho . marvellous transformation which had been brought about. It was a crazy experiment, but it had succeeded. The Jews wanted to lake hundreds of thousands of downtrodden Jows from parts of the world in which they were suffering and bring them to the old cradle of tho Jewish nation— Palestine —and develop them on lines of healthy, normal people. When ono remembered tho difficulties to bo overcome one would realise the tremendous nature of tho experiment The population of Palestine to-day was 700.000. They had redeemed the country and shown to tho whole world that they could once more have in Palestine “a land flowing with milk and honey.” Of course, if they were to bring large numbers of Jews to Palestine, they must provide work for them, and therefore they must have now industries. Palestine was a tiny baby. It was the youngest city in tho making in the world. Not only outsiders, but many Zionists even had been doubtful that the movement would succeed: but it could bo said now that the problem had been solved. Thousands and thousands of young Jewish men and women, the pioneers, were now leaving tho cities where they were born, and were settling in Palestine. Many had forsaken the prospect of fine careers in other lands, and were assisting to redeem tho ancient land of Israeli and, sustained by their idealism, were succeeding, in spite of almost insuperable difficulties. Hebrew was a great language, and they had succeeded in reviving it in all its old-time beauty, until, to-day. it was a living language. No longer could it bo said that they had no language by which they could express themselves. •. Spirit of Idealism. “Under the skies of Palestine,” continued Dr.-Goldstein, “we aro again going to have our shepherds, our fishermen. There is an undying spirit of idealism in that glorious land of Palestine. To-day there is no placo iu the world where there is so much romance as there is in that ancient city. It is one of the great traits of Jewish nature that no' matter whether they are living in New York, in Wellington, or in Palestine, that noble spirit of idealism is still within them.” England’s Generosity. Pointing out that the monetary support of the Zionist movement was volun. rary, the speaker said that the generosity of England in supporting the movement was acknowledged. Britain’s attitude was a credit not only to herself but also to the other great nations of the world. Britain had torn a page from the Bible and had put its prophecies into practice, to her everlasting glory. Britain had been the first nation to support the movement, and what sho had done would lie written in golden letters in the book of history for all time. No one, he said, could ever accuse a few of being disloyal or ungrateful. They were true to their country in her hour of need. The speaker described the persecution and martyrdom to which the people had been subjected. Every race had a genius Of its own. No one would deny that the Jews were a gifted race, and if they were allowed to develop their own lives they woujd develop the genius of their face. (Applause.)