MODERN JEWESS

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 189, 12 May 1928, Page 18

MODERN JEWESS

WOMEN’S WORK IN PALESTINE

Zionism "strives for a safe and legally secured home in Palestine for the Jewish people,” and the movement has not contented itself with bringing Jewish colonists,to the country, to live there under the same conditions, that obtain for them in other lands (writes Gerda Arlosoroff in the “Manchester Guardian”). The aim of the Zionist Organisation is to build up a normal economic life 'in which each man and' woman shall have the opportunity of entering the trade or profession for which his capabilities best suit him. An attempt is being made in Palestine to fill all vocations, from, that of the agricultural labourer to that of the university professor, with Jewish workers only, whose homeland is. Palestine' and whose language is' a revived modem Hebrew.

This-process, of, the shifting of the professions takes into its scope not only the male but to a great extent also the female population. In the natural course of . events, therefore, a Women’s Organistion became a necessity, and accordingly the Women’s International -Zionist Organisation was formed with its headquarters in London, whose task it is to foster and direct the productivity of the Jewish women. Among the immigrants are a number of .women trained for the independent professions (doctors, nurses, tvpists, teachers, etc.), but the-^ problem of training women for manual labour in town and country remains a pressing one.

The first cry of all new colonies is "Back to the land,” but the human material which flocks, to' Palestine comes from the crowded quarters of the big Cities, and, cannot be turned adrift to’ grapple with virgin soil without’ being first trained and equipped for the tusk. The Women’s Organisation fully realised ■ tins point, and began its work by founding an agricultural school for girls, the first training school of its kind in the Orient. The Girls’ Agricultural School in Nahalal gives theoretical and practical instruction in botany, chemistry, dairywork, poultry-breeding, bee-keeping, and allied .subjects, on the lines laid down bv. the best agricultural colleges of Western Europe. Against the 6’2 pupils who can be admitted there is a constant waiting list of about 1500 applicants.- To deal with the surplus other metihods had to be contrived. It was found that the women in Palestine who desire to learn agricultural work are drawn to a great ' extent from among the graduates of high schools or college students who have come to the land in pursuit of an ideal. This class of student can 'dispense with the theoretical scientific education , which forms a large part of the Nahalal curriculum, and needs only to be put into direct-touch ', with'the .’ practical work. The best method of dealing with these eager workers was found to be that of girls’ farms, which are partlv self-supporting, and a large number of these has already ; been formed. They come into being in a very simple ■manner'. A number of girls, students and sedentary workers from the big cities, band themselves together under , the. leadership of one or'two skilled'agricultural workers and apply to the Jewish National Fund, the land purchasing agent of the Zionist

Organisation. A piece of land is allotted to the group, consisting usually ot about 30 girls, who are then fitted out by the Zionist Organisation with the necessary plant and ..tools, as well as being' supplied with a minimum of capital. The course of training takes two years, and the aim of it is not only the acquirement of technical skill, but also the development of initiiative, which, has been cramped in the confines of the towns and crushed by the discipline of the urban industrial machine. The'type of woman here evolved is independent and equal to all emergencies, ideal material for colonisation.

Other institutions in the same sphere are the gardening and domestic training. schools in the new town of Tel Aviv and the vegetable and nursery garden groups in the towns constructed on-the same lines as the Girls’ Farms. But even in the new settlement land work is not the only profession for women. Palestine,' whose English Civil Government is still very new, lias few State institutions so far for social welfare and hygiene. It is, therefore, the duty of the Zionist Organisation, supplemented by private charity, to look after the health of the people. Hospitals, infant welfare centres and similar institutes have been established by the American Zionist Organisation, the ’Hadassah,” and infants’ homes have been formed, where the most elementary needs of the babies are attended to. All these give employment to nurses, women doctors, health visitors, . and welfare workers. The Oriental Jews, immigrants from various parts of Asia, stand in special need of instruction in hygiene and infant welfare. Their culture is' that of the neighbouring Arab tribes among whom thev have been brought up, and their medicine is superstition. Another problem raised by these Arab or Yemenite Jews was that of providing the women with some means of supplementing the household income. An attempt to discover an industry revealed the fact that they make exceptionally beautiful Oriental embroideries. Workrooms for art needlework and lacework have been established, which also organise home industry among the women, and a whole national art is thus being nursed and developed. It is impossible, in . a short article, to survey the whole of the activities of the women in Palestine, which must explore all the channels that are being 1 investigated in other countries. But a land that is in course of construction' and is bound by no traditions is likely to venture more boldly than one where all the landlnarks have been laid out for centuries. When to this pioneer snirit is added the culture absorbed in the ■ countries of centuries of civilisation the resn'ts should be worth, watching by all who have fcminjnc advancement at heart.

To clean white furs get a basin of fresh, pollard, spread the fur on a paper in the sun, and rub the pollard gently but lavishly into the fur. Then hang it in the sun and shake and beat it gently on rhe wrong side till all the particles fly out. The fur will then be found to be beautifully clean.