PALESTINE

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 111, 13 May 1935, Page 13

PALESTINE

:"SBVENTH?DbMIOTOF*!

JEWISH GRATITUDE

"And, moreover, nothing would-: please the Jewish people" more ' than-for Palestine to.become the ; seventh Dominion, so that; it may : permanently become a unit of the ; British Empire," said the Rejf. : Solomon Katz,. Jewish Rabbi, m>. an impressive address yesterday -: to the Wellington Hebrew congregation in a service of prayer and '■ thanlcsgiving for the Silver Jubilee , of his Majesty's accessjpn' to the Throne. . "During the last week the British Etripire-r-the Homeland, as well as the" far flung British Dominions—witnessed unprecedented scenes of national -rejoicing and jubilation in celebratiori of the Silver Jubilee of his., Majesty's accession to-the- Throne,^ r<s^id -;|jh'e Rabbi.' "lit brilliant pageantry and-in eloquent speech, the'people attested to. their-, whole-hearted loyalty tothe Throne and their .love and affection for his gracious Majesty bamself. And it was evident, that the symphony of praise and' exaltation of the J King was not merely a beautifully-phrased? conventional tribute to :a ; great; monarch, but the expression of?deep sentiments (yelling.up from the-depth's -of loving [learts, sentiments which found- an achb and- - feve^berate^ ' thrbaghoiit the lengthiand.breadth of.tHe.Empi^ei "With these nationwidecderiionstra-l tiohs of love and- loyalty to arid :oufttry the Jewish people have identified, themselves rwtiti; the utmost sin; verity, and. wrTole-fieartedness arid' rid section-bf^his Majesty's subje'ets rfeioice more- ardently :on this happy occasion than his Jewish subjects. And today 'synagogues' iri■'■'every'"'part-- ■' of, the Empire will resound with, the voice jf. 'praise arid thanksgiving to God ; .for Slaving protected,and = preserved ; our Eprig in life and-in Health, and-enabled tiira to i;each : this; happy "day,':'the semirjubilee :pf his reign. .And.the Eervent prayers;'of Church.. : arid Syhaibgue will: be. hfeard. on /High today that Gocl Triay_ continue to bless; our Sovereign King George-with"long life, with health, and happiness, and to snable him to preserve the peace of fcils realm .to,, the end, of _days. .. I ;"';'.. '-YniTTIESc'OFJtHE-fEiEART^.^;: - ' ■' k'Kin]g.'iaeprge has dpi many, things;.b'ut'Ve.re.yereh^'rrios^ and 10ve..-• him.,' best pierh^ps,, for. bis virtues -of the heart, for his moral add social idealism;f:- If .-.r.rfghteousriess exaltetH a nation,4 King George -has made righteousriess •"• the very founda-tion-stone., of Jiis" Throne, and of. him we may say iri'tHe words of the Psalmist, Thou lovest righteousness arid hatest oppression j- therefore God has anointed thee.*-.' And again, in the worda :of the Book of Proverbs, 'The King-that faithfully judges, the poor, his throne shall ■be established forever.' The English Throne withstood the strain and stress of post-waf conditions because-the King had been already firmly enthroned in the hearts of his people by. virtue of his warm sympathies arid his loving concern for all his subjects, regardless of race, creed, class,'or sect. ".-■'-■ ■ ' , "Heh-s to. the social and political ideology of tlih ancient prophets, wei stand uncompromisingly for;a democratic form'of government which guarantees the full measure of liberty, safety, and security to all its citizens. During his long and sad history, the Jew has often been painfully smitten by the rod of oppression, and even to

this day many of our people in other lands are still being sorely tried by the hand of cruel autocracies or by some other new-fangled system of government. In the constitutional monarchy of Great Britain, and in the august and benign person of the King, we possess the surest and best guarantee for the liberty and freedom of all citizens for peace and harmony within we land, and for safety and security to all the inhabitants thereof. To this constitutional, just, and righteous form of government, and to its ruling head, the Jews of the British Empire stand bound by the closest ties of love and loyalty. ... v • . A SACEED DUTY. "Patriotism has become the sacred duty of the Jewish religious community, and no demand which loyalty makes upon the Jew is ever disregarded by him. But it is for Britain m particular that we entertain feelings of peculiar affection and a sense of Profound gratitude, for since' the days of the gracious, Queen Victoria's reign the Jews have been permitted to bask in the sunshine of complete and unqualified religious, civil, and political liberty. From that time on the Jew has enjoyed all the privileges and honours which his genius or his service merited for him. And all lands under British, rule emulate the noble example of the Mother Country. Their Religious prejudices have been : banished and racial antipathies sternly discouraged. A sister poetess voiced this sentiment in a stirring poem. Let me read;a few stanzas:— Thou hast given us home and freedom, Mother England. Thou hast let us live again, Free and fearless midst thy free and fearless "children, Sharing with them as one people grief and gladness, joy and pain. Now we Jews, we English Jews, O! Mother England; ask another boon of thee; ; ■•. . • -..■ Let lis share with them the danger - arid the glory. Where thy best arid bravest lead, there -.;:' '•. let us follow o'er the sea. JEWISH NATIONAL HOME. "But the Jewish, affection-for, and gratitude to Great Britain and its King transcends even the boundaries of the Empire, and embraces the Jews of other lands, for world Jewry will never forget the boon which his Majesty's Government conferred .upon us by the issue of the Balfour Declaration which had virtually become the cornerstone of the : ; Jewish National Home in Palestine. By this' act of loving-kindness the British 'Governraent and its Kbig have laid the Jews in all lands under an everlasting debt, of inexpressible gratitude. Under the British Mandate Palestine has already provided homes,: economic security; and peace to over, 200,000 Jews who 'were persecuted and" rendered ' homeless by the fury of •religious fanaticism and racial prejudices." : _; "■•' V :; ",' Appropriate Psalms, were read; the ,Ark was opened, and the Rabbi offered prayer for" the 'King and the jrtoyal family. The service concluded with the /singing of >the;-National 'Anthem.: