THE NEW AS A SOLDIER

Evening Star, Issue 17284, 24 February 1920, Page 9

THE NEW AS A SOLDIER

There was a great gathering in the Prahran Town Hid! on February 9 at- the reception tendered to Lieut.-general Sir John Monash by the Jewish community ol Victoria. An address, of which the "following is a summary, was presented to General Monash :

"We, the rt presenfatives of the Jewish community of Victoria, desire to heartily v. clcoui'j you back to Melbourne, yoiir naihe city, and at the same time to' express our proioiind appreciation of your brilliant miiitaiy achievements that have helped to maintain the prestige of th-; .British Army, and, moreover, added lustre to the fair name of our beloved Austv.tliTii Commoiiwe :Ith. Together with our British fellow-citizens of all denominations, we have already individmlly paid our meed of homage to the glorious services you have rendered to the cause of justice, righteousness, and humanity—the bulwark of our Empire. We can't but be elated bv the proud reflection that in your recent accomplishments you have displayed the Jewish intellect at its proudest and the Jewish heart at its noblest. As in the Old Country, amid your strenous postwar duties, you have found time to devote to the study of questions relating to the phases of Jewish thought and action, we are, led to confidently hope that one nmoru your foremost peaceful activities in Melbourne will be directed towards matters appertaining to the furtherance and influence of Australian Judaism."

The-Chief Rabbi (Dr J. Abrahams). ;n presenting the address, said that they honored Sir John Monash as an Aust.vi-ha-n Jew and an Australian soldier. Tt was a- great distinction for him to be the first Jew to attain the rank of a lieutenant general.

Sir J. Monash. who had a tremendously flattering reception from his co-religionists, mentioned an interesting fact in the course of his reply. He said that no less than 20,000 Jews had served in the Australian Army during the Great War. Of these one had risen to be lieut.-general, two were lieut.-colonels, 24 were majors, SO captains, and 115 lieutenants. Over TOO .had receivod honors, among them Lieut. Keeser, who had been awarded the V.C.

The health of "Our Distinguished Guest" was'felicitously proposed "by Mi Justice Isaacs, of the Federal High Court.